Club Reunited
by gally1
Summary: What has happened to the club in 18 years My first attempt please rr final chapters now up
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Looking back  
  
John Bender sat looking at the diamond earring that he was twisting in his right hand, and sighed. 'God Claire, why did you have to be so cruel?' he thought. Looking up he caught his reflection in the mirror on the dresser and noticed that look in his eyes again, the look he'd had that day in '84 when she had 'lost' her way into the storage room he had been deposited in by Vernon. He remembered the kiss she had given him, placed ever so gently on his neck and realised that it was at that moment he had fallen for her.  
  
"Why'd you do that?" he had asked, "because I knew you wouldn't" she had replied and given him one of her now increasingly irritating smiles – the kind he always wanted to cover with his own mouth. "You know how you said before how your parents use you to get back at each other? Wouldn't I be outstanding in that capacity?" he had carried on, whilst she had continued to smile at his reverie.  
  
'Maybe,' he thought 'I really shouldn't have said that, perhaps that was the real and only reason she had wanted me then … I still can't believe you left me, Claire'. He returned his gaze to the now still diamond and let out a laugh, a tiny smile touching his lips. "If there is one thing I am sure of; if I never see you again Claire, it will be too soon".  
  
With that in mind he placed the earring back inside the jewellery box, the only trinket he had made of any worth in shop and had survived his destructive home-life, and with it the only photos that had survived that part of his life too: A rare one of his family, one of 'the breakfast club' and one of he and Claire. Once back inside their resting place John was able to continue with his normal daily routine.  
  
It was whilst he was sitting at his breakfast bar reading the days Chicago Sun Times that he heard the familiar sound of his letter box. Rusty, his six-year-old Labrador, padded his way across the hall, let out a small non- committal bark and laid down over the recently dispatched mail. John reluctantly set his newspaper aside and pushed himself off of his stool. Walking over to where Rusty lay he motioned for the animal to move, which he did as commanded; bending down and picking up the pile John quickly scanned the envelopes for anything exciting, discarding those that he knew looked like bills.  
  
It was then that he saw it. Only a corner at first but with its ornate gold coloured border he felt that this could be the one thing he had needed to cheer him up in such a long time. Placing the rest on his telephone stand he moved back into the kitchen and reacquired his seat, taking a sip from his coffee cup he settled back and started to tear open the flap.  
  
Pulling out the card and looking at the front he realised immediately whom it was from, who else would pen a snow scene like the one he remembered from eighteen years ago. "And no dandruff either, she must be slipping in her old age." He opened it and began to read 'Dear John, it has been too long! We (Andy and I) have decided that the re-launch of 'The Breakfast Club' is long overdue and as such invite you to our home a week Sunday, being the 24th March. A little nostalgic I realise, but none the less an anniversary. It will be good to see you and catch up on old times. 'Til then, your friend, Allison.'  
  
Looking up at the calendar pinned above the refrigerator he realised that the card had taken longer to arrive than expected. Today was Tuesday, he had five days to collect himself and make ready. Not for seeing his old friends, he would see them tomorrow if he could, tonight even; but for seeing Claire – how on earth could he cope with that, it had nearly killed him when she had walked out on him all those years ago, it still pained him, still kept away any likely candidates for his love. She had left and taken his heart with her. He would always love her; there could never be anybody else for him. If there could be a new start he could have gotten rid of that damn earring for starters, and the picture of them both together. But then who needed pictures when he saw her nearly every night in his dreams. There were very few occasions when he could remember having a full nights sleep. Generally speaking he would toss and turn for hours before finally dropping off to sleep from sheer exhaustion. And what if he did see her again on Sunday, what would happen then, those memories that he had erased would they all come flooding back? The good times, the very good times, the times he had managed to block out because to remember them was too much too handle knowing that whenever he was alone again behind that front door he would always imagine her being there, waiting for him to come home, keeping their children up just so that they could say goodnight to their father.  
  
"I am not, not, going to let you do this to me again, these people are my friends as well as yours and I am blowed if you are going to keep me away from seeing them. I just hope we can keep civil tongues and not ruin everybody else's evening."  
  
He looked at his watch and realised he would be late getting into the traffic if he did not make a move quickly. He secured the invite to his pegboard, rinsed out his mug, patted the dog and made for the front door. "I must try and leave these feelings behind" he said to no one in particular, walked over the threshold and shut the door securely behind him. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Companionship  
  
Brian Johnson looked up from his monitor when he heard the familiar sound of the door handle being executed and the door to his office being opened.  
  
"Hi Uncle, or should I call you Brian, or perhaps Mr Johnson" said the petite beauty standing in the doorway.  
  
"I think you're a little old for Uncle now, considering you wish us to treat you like a young woman; Brian will do fine" he countered. "How are you, pumpkin?"  
  
"I thought you wanted to treat me like a young woman!" Leila said as she placed a small pile of mail on Brian's desk and renewed the half empty cold mug of coffee sitting on the placemat with a steaming hot fresh one. "I'm fine, how was your evening – with mum."  
  
"As candid as ever it could be with your mother; when you want to talk about travel, the garden, work, business, etc she is fine, but once I start getting down to basics of home and love she shuts off, retreats into her shell and won't say a word on the subject. I know she can't seem to loose her memory of the past, possibly never will … but she has to start thinking of moving on, sixteen years is a long time in anyone's book. Has she spoken to you again about your father, Leila?"  
  
"She tried last week, after she received that invite. You know, the one like yours. All she would say is that I have his eyes and his temper when I want, and that he is dead – killed in some tragic accident. She never elaborates. Says that his whole family has gone now, and all she has is this one picture of them together and her one diamond earring. Maybe this meeting you have with your old friends on Sunday can help to take away some of her pain and open her up again!" Leila concluded  
  
"Yes, I hope so!" Brian said "perhaps then I can hope for something more too."  
  
"Yes, but it would be weird you being my dad after all this time of you being my uncle." Leila interjected as she made her way out of his office.  
  
Brian followed her retreating form through the doorway. "Kids" he mocked to himself "you can either love 'em or hate 'em … and I can safely say I love that one as if she were my own."  
  
He looked over his desk to the large framed photo he had of 'the breakfast club' sitting there. There they all were, the five of them, looking like what? Chivalrous knights? Saviours of mankind? Idols? He knew not what, but he knew they stood for one very good cause, that that would cross boundaries and make people see that anyone from any walk of life deserves to be heard, regardless of where they live or how much money they have. A band of missionaries spreading their word to anyone that would listen. He remembered their meetings on Saturdays, especially those conducted when John could join them as he wasn't needed in detention. Claire had really straightened John out, and he in turn could not do more for her, they had been so much in love. Even now Brian knew she still loved John, would never forget the love of her life, the father of their child.  
  
He remembered back to the day he saw Claire for the first time in about two years; he was still in college then learning his trade. She had phoned him to arrange a suitable time to meet up and they had ended up going to the small coffee house across the street from the campus. She, at first, had seemed apprehensive about the whole meeting but as the afternoon wore on she confided in Brian and told him that she was expecting John's baby. She had told him that there had been a terrible accident whilst John had been at work and had been killed as a result. She was at her wit's end and she needed help. Her brother had kindly let her rent the small unit he had on his land and was helping her through school but she had said she needed more, a father figure for her baby and would Brian be prepared to help. He jumped at the chance, he had always held a torch out for Claire in his small way, never letting anyone know in case John found out, but he realised this was his chance to give something back and care about the woman he secretly loved.  
  
Although now it wasn't much of a secret, Claire knew and understood but could still not bring herself to love someone new. She had said he wasn't her type but Brian still believed if he was there for her enough she would fall for him one day. He cast his mind back to Leila's twelfth birthday, after the celebrations were over and Leila was in bed, Claire and Brian had started talking about the weekly meetings 'the breakfast club' had enjoyed. The conversation had soon turned to the question of Claire and John as it invariably always did, Claire had cried, well sobbed, and Brian had comforted; and once the situation had calmed they had made a pact – that if the two of them were still single at 45 they would marry so as to have companionship throughout their 'autumn' years. "By that time" Claire had laughed, "I will probably have grandkids and will need some help".  
  
"Ehm" Leila cleared her throat.  
  
"Yes, Leila." Brian looked up. "Sorry I was miles away."  
  
"Mmm." She responded knowingly "Well your 9 am appointment is here, do you wish me to show them in? And would you like me to exchange that full mug of cold coffee for a fresh one?"  
  
"Yes and Yes" he said brightly, showing a sorry look on his face for the cold coffee "show them in please, Leila." 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Secrets & Lies  
  
Claire Standish was sat on her porch, drinking camomile tea and surveying the garden she loved to potter around in. When she had the time that was; today unfortunately, was not one of those times as she resided herself to the fact that she had to get her mind back on the job in hand. Working freelance was great especially when the summer arrived and she was able to bring her work from out of her study and set herself up in the back yard. Her garden was always able to give her inspiration when she needed it and today was no exception, the spring floral delights were now showing there colours and deciduous trees were beginning to show there new leaves and delicate blossoms.  
  
"Shame I have to leave you behind, garden, but I need to get myself back inside so I can earn some money to keep you looking the way you do." She mused to herself.  
  
Unenthusiastically she pulled herself up from her rocking chair and made her way back in through the house to her study. The lilac walls that she had painted many years before had always managed to soothe her if she were feeling tense about her work and now, those same years later, she had managed to fill most existent space with bulging bookshelves and cupboards, and along the main wall cork tiles fashioned themselves as a huge pegboard for her to mount her colour stories on.  
  
She loved designing clothes, and she loved designing clothes mostly for children. It never seemed to matter to her if brown or grey were this season's black – when it came to children they should always be dressed in bright colours, preferably non matching and teamed with denim. Her latest endeavour was to design a launch diffusion collection for an extremely up market ladies and men's couturier. It was a difficult project, as she knew she would have to design clothing for the little people with a grown up perspective, 'tricky' she thought 'kids are supposed to be kids, not miniature versions of their parents.'  
  
She couldn't think straight, couldn't keep her mind on the job. If only she hadn't opened up the floodgate of her mind when she had sat down to lunch. She had only wanted to see the snow scene again that Allison had aptly drawn on the front of her invitation but it had brought back some memories she wanted to keep in the back of her mind. And now those memories where keeping her from her work. Not that she minded, she needed a little time away from that anyway and she had spent the last three weeks on it solidly in order to have it completed well before the allotted time so that she could amend and mess around with anything if she needed to. After all she needed to get her partner to cut the patterns and get them made up in calico yet to see if they 'looked' okay.  
  
She decided that she had done enough today, and there was no better way to relieve her tension than to have a relaxing bath. She made her way upstairs to the bathroom and began to fill the bath with warm water, pouring in her lavender bath soak and adding a couple of bath pearls for good measure. Making her way into her bedroom she quickly changed out of her clothes and into her bathrobe.  
  
She wasn't sure what made her look up at that precise moment but she guessed it was an earlier memory still trying to assault her presence of mind. What she saw she couldn't believe, staring at her from the mirror was not her reflection but an image she had tried to forget. That image was of John Bender.  
  
She found herself moving over to the mirror and putting her hand out to touch the reflection, and the reflection smiled, she could honestly say that she believed John Bender was actually smiling at her. She smiled back, what else could she do? He was devastatingly handsome, as much as he had been when they had first met that Saturday in March 1984. Although his clothes then had been a little worse for wear and what exactly had he had wrapped around his boot. And his hair, mid length, ragged and messy but when that was pushed back from his face his eyes were breathtaking. She knew that was the attraction, those eyes had had her hooked from the moment she had corrected him on his pronunciation of 'Moliere'; although at times during the rest of the day that had passed, he hadn't been particularly pleasant to her, but he had caught her attention from that precise moment; as she had he. Maybe even from before - when she had told him to 'Cut it out' as Vernon kept trying to get a rise out of John to see how many more detentions he could get him into. She knew one thing though, she loved him body and soul and no amount of attention from Brian or any man could sway her emotions, she just knew that they were destructive together.  
  
That's why she got out, more for the baby than for herself, she knew she could cope singularly if she was ever to be let down by John, but what if he tried to destroy her and their child? She couldn't handle that thought. That was why she left – that was why she ran to her brother and to Brian, she knew it was spiteful and she knew it would hurt so many people but Leila's happiness was the most important. Thing was, with the meeting of herself and her friends on Sunday how was she going to get through it, there would be at least two people hurting at that meeting and that didn't include herself. What on earth was she going to do?  
  
"Mum, good god mum, what on earth did you think you were doing? Leaving the tap running on the bath – do you really think we can have an indoor swimming pool without re-modelling"  
  
Leila crashed into Claire's thoughts. "What?" she asked.  
  
"The bath, I think you were supposed to be having considering your attire!" Leila said and added "that carpet in the bathroom is going to smell of lavender forever, how much did you put in? What on earth have you been thinking about?"  
  
"Nothing. Oh god, have I really made such a mess?" Claire asked.  
  
Leila replied, "No, mum, it's not too bad. If you still want a bath though I suggest you get into it now before it starts to get cold in there."  
  
"Thanks, Leila" Claire responded, "What would I do without you looking after me?"  
  
"I don't know but I bet you would be a hazard to yourself and half the block!" she smiled and went to her room.  
  
Claire got up and moved into the bathroom, she placed her favourite opera into the cassette player, got into the bath and began to relax to the calming tones of the tenors voice coming from the speakers. She was not prepared to allow this situation to rule her life anymore, she must tell Brian and she must tell him soon. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything  
  
A/n: Please feel free to read review, and sorry about the 'Englishness'. Thanks for reading.  
  
Chapter 4 – Understanding from Brian  
  
"Okay, so I'll see you about 11. Bye Jenna" Claire remarked. Putting the receiver back in the cradle she moved over to the coffee machine on the counter and poured herself a mug.  
  
"You taking those designs over this morning then, mum." Leila asked as she watched Claire stroll to the kitchen table and pull out chair for her to sit upon.  
  
"Yeah. I worked a bit harder than I needed to last night; but hey, at least it means I can spend some quality time with my daughter next week before she goes of to college."  
  
"You gonna miss me?" Leila questioned.  
  
"Why would I not? I love you Leila so much – its gonna be weird not having you around the place but it means I'll save time not having to chase after you and make sure all your clothes are clean and put away properly." Claire said, one of her crooked grins brightening over her face.  
  
"Well if you think you need to occasionally look after me whilst I'm away, just let me know and I'll save up all my washing for when I come home for the holidays!" Leila countered. Claire gave her a mock look of shook before quickly allowing her smile to return.  
  
"So, what have you got planned today." Claire asked  
  
"I'm going to the mall with Jodie and Kate, we're going to try and pick a few things we need for college and just hang for a while, especially that Brian no longer needs me at the office."  
  
"Brian! No longer needs you! What has a new secretary at last met his expectations? And what happened to Uncle?"  
  
"He suggested I was getting too old for uncle, and he had this leggy blonde arrive yesterday to attend to his every whim."  
  
"Did he, well I only hope she can last longer than the last one … three weeks wasn't it, I really don't know what he expects of these girls – an IQ of at least 150 and able to make great coffee. And, young lady, I hope this means you'll never be too old to call me mum."  
  
"Never" Leila replied and settled down to her toast. Moments later a car horn sounded. "That's my ride, see you later mum."  
  
"Bye, be careful"  
  
"I will" came they reply.  
  
"I only hope you can be more careful than me" Claire said to herself.  
  
***  
  
A little later on Claire was making her way through the traffic to get to Brian's office. She had already been to her partner Jenna's office and deposited the designs and working drawings with her so that she could get on with the technical construction of the children's clothing. Parking up in the underground car park of the office building Claire checked herself in the rear view mirror to make sure that her hair and make-up were to her satisfaction. Pulling herself out of the driver's seat she locked up, smoothed her skirt down over her hips and made her way to the lift in order to ride to Brian's floor. Once there, she found her way through the halls to his set of offices and walked into the reception.  
  
"Hello, I'm here to take Mr Johnson to lunch" Claire remarked looking the new secretary up and down. 'I can see why he chose you' she thought 'still thinks he can get a woman with his title and rank in society – if only the other breakfast clubber's knew, they would eat him alive!'  
  
"Mr Johnson" the secretary cooed through the intercom "there is a Mrs …"  
  
"Miss Standish"  
  
"Miss Standish here to take you to lunch … Okay, sir … He'll be right with you" she said to Claire. Claire moved towards the leather sofa and sat on the arm in anticipation of Brian's arrival. It didn't take him long to appear and he crossed the room, brought Claire up from her sitting position, gave her one of his 'brotherly' hugs and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
'Well that shouldn't hinder his chances with her now' Claire thought as they walked out of the office together arm in arm and catching the secretary's eye giving her a look of disdain.  
  
"To what do I owe the pleasure" Brian half joked as they found their way back to the lift shaft.  
  
"I don't really want to say anything yet only that I hope you don't mind this running on, things could get heavy and I need to know I have you to myself this afternoon."  
  
"For you Claire, anything, you know that, you only have to ask."  
  
"I'm not too sure that that can happen in future," she said.  
  
"Now I am truly intrigued," he replied.  
  
***  
  
"So why have you brought me half way across town to sit on damp grass and eat a picnic when it isn't even summer." Brian asked as they made there way to a spot under a huge oak tree.  
  
"I knew if I got you out here and you heard something you didn't like, you would be less likely to run away." Claire replied, a slightly glum expression hinting at the corners of her mouth.  
  
Brian looked at her, that expression on her face had dug into his heart and he knew that what she had to say he wasn't going to like much. "What's up?"  
  
"Brian, I have done some terrible things in the past that I am so ashamed of. I really don't know where to start but with the imminent arrival of Sunday evening I have to tell someone."  
  
"Tell someone what, Claire … if it's to tell me I never have a hope in hell's chance of being with you then that's fine! I'm sorry, of course I am, but until you rest this ghost of John's then no-one will touch your heart."  
  
Claire looked over apologetically. "That isn't the reason I brought you here". Brian's face brightened. "Although, I'm sorry, I think you already know you don't have a chance with me". His face fell again. "It's to tell you … oh god how do I start?"  
  
"Why don't you just start at the beginning, I guess it has something to do with you turning up on my door step 16 years ago so why don't you start there."  
  
"Yeah. Okay. Well here goes … 16 years ago I didn't run to you because John had been killed, I ran to you because I left him."  
  
Shock. Panic. Anger. Emotions clouded Brian's face. "What? You're telling me now, after all these years, that John Bender is alive and kicking and probably still living in Shermer or worse, living in a suburb of Chicago." She had lit the fuse and he had exploded. "Why, Claire, why did you just not tell me truth?"  
  
"How could I? You would never have heard what I would have had to have said – you would have only been concerned whether John was going to find us or not. Whether he would have kicked you ass or something. You certainly would not have thought about me and the baby."  
  
"So you conveniently forget to tell me the details in case I ran away too and left you alone. Is that what this is all about you need to have someone – but the someone you wanted couldn't be a father to your child and the someone you didn't want could."  
  
"NO. No. You know how John and I were. Passionately in love one minute, screaming at each other the next – up and down, up and down. I couldn't bring a baby up in that, what kind of life do you think she would have had, Brian? If she had to be brought up by both John and I or worse, me on my own."  
  
"But you did, you did bring her up on your own. She has turned into a remarkable young woman, considering!"  
  
"With your help."  
  
"No. I only helped out when you were absolutely desperate. And what about John?"  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"Let me guess, he knows nothing about her." The look on Claire's face told him he was right. He continued, "Who, out of everybody we know, knows the truth?"  
  
"Only my brother and you."  
  
"And does your brother know the whole truth."  
  
"There was no way I could tell him anything more than he needed to know, it would have tore him apart."  
  
"At the moment it's tearing me apart. But that aside are you going to tell me everything?"  
  
"That was my intention this afternoon, yes."  
  
"Then I think you better let me know every detail." 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything  
  
A/n: Please feel free to read review. Thanks for reading.  
  
Chapter 5 – Ghosts  
  
"Rusty" John yelled, "Where on earth has that bloody dog got to? Rusty!" Rusty, sheepishly traipsed from his hiding place to return to John's side, with a not much fun today, must be something on master's mind, look on his face. "Thank god. I thought I would have to send out for the dog warden to catch you today!" John exclaimed, and stroked Rusty's head and ears whilst replacing the leash on his collar. It was amazing to think how wonderful he felt when he could get all the unconditional love he needed from his pet. "It's okay boy, I'm not going to scold you anymore today, I know you want lots of fun and games but I'm just not in the mood at the moment. Come on lets take the long way home, I can pick us both up a special treat then too."  
  
He had his motives too, of course, if he tired Rusty out this evening he knew the Labrador would find his way to his basket this evening and sleep right through only bothering to wake in search of food and water. His other motive, the time of year; apart from the fact it had been the best day this year so far, this was when he loved it most when everything was at its new beginning stage, 'Claire's favourite time of year too' he thought absently. Occasionally the two of them would stop and sit on a park bench watching the world go by, and as the pleasant weather had brought the people out they had a chance to stop and talk to those that were enjoying an afternoon stroll, checked out the females joggers as they passed by and even paused at the kid's playground watching the little tyke's mess about in the sand pit and over the climbing frames, some were even allowed to come a pat Rusty by their parents.  
  
After spending about an hour walking around the park Jon decided to stop and rest one last time before they winded their way home. Seating himself on the last bench before exiting the park he removed his paper from his overcoat pocket, put on his reading glasses and started to read from where he had left off earlier that day.  
  
It was when he started to read the sports pages that a familiar voice rang into his brain. 'That sounded like Brian Johnson' he thought to himself and lowered his paper to look around. There before him and moving towards the exit he made out two figures, he took his glasses off so he could get a better view and yes, sure enough, there was Brian and he was comforting a woman. 'You dark horse, Bri' he thought and watched for a convenient time to go and break up the party. The woman raised her head and wiped what seemed to be tears from her eyes. In that instant John knew exactly who that woman was, Claire, the way she walked tall, her hips moved, her auburn hair blowing around in the spring breeze. She was still as beautiful as ever.  
  
John had to contain himself for his sanity, not only was it his Claire but she was with Brian Johnson. 'What on earth could he give her that I couldn't' he thought to himself 'and she is too much of a woman for him to handle.' He was jealous, so jealous it was untrue, just seeing her again after all the years and after her walking out on him the way she had, all of the hurt she had caused him meant nothing, he knew he still wanted her, needed her. He noticed they were still moving his way and he needed to act fast so that they wouldn't notice he was just sitting there, after all they could all make their respective pleasantries on Sunday evening couldn't they. They would all have to be gracious for Andrew and Allison's sake anyway. He replaced his glasses, not believing he could become Clark Kent or anything, but knowing that it would take them longer to recognise him with them on rather than off. He was also wearing a rather expensive Armani suit as well, so any recognition that ensued would probably be passed over as being foolish.  
  
By this time, Rusty has lain down and was asleep. Continuing to have a hold of his leash John Brought his left leg up to cross his right and positioned his paper over his lap. He wanted to make sure that he could at least see what was going on.  
  
"So what and when are you going to tell Leila?" Brain exclaimed when they were in John's earshot.  
  
"I don't know, but I don't really want to tell her anything until after Sunday and certainly well before she heads off to college. I can't bear to think of her hating me all those miles away and there being nothing I can do to rectify the situation." Claire replied.  
  
"Just promise me you won't leave it too long, she has a right to know and when she does find out there are going to be 16 years of hatred directed totally at you. I mean she is bound to ask me if I or anyone else knew but her first aversion is going to be against you."  
  
"I know. What are you going to tell her?"  
  
"The truth, Claire. She deserves that. She may not be my daughter but she has to know she can still trust me. And of course, I'll always be there for you too. Maybe I can be the rock for both of you."  
  
"Yeah. Thanks Brian, I knew I could count on you once you knew all the facts."  
  
"Well thanks for telling me the truth, maybe we can all get back to normal when all of this is out in the open."  
  
"I hope so, I just pray that John can be civilised about all of this." Claire said, looking up slightly to take in the stranger that sat on the bench as they walked by. She shot him a slight smile, which he returned. Looking back again she felt sure she knew who he was but couldn't put her finger on it. Something inside her kept her quiet.  
  
"I'm sure he will be … eventually." Brian finished as they started though the gate at the exit of the park. And then they were gone.  
  
John sat there for another five minutes running the conversation he had just heard pass through his mind over and over again. He had never really been the brightest penny in the purse, but he knew by instinct what they had been talking about. A reporter always knows these things. Claire had a daughter, Leila, who wasn't Brian's but Brian had been a father figure to her for some time by what they had said, maybe for the whole 16 years. And Claire and Brian only really seemed like close friends anyway, not lovers, but who really knew. But was this Leila his … or someone else's. 'I don't believe she could have been with anyone else when she was with me, could she?' he thought 'No, our love was too intense for that. Which means that Claire's daughter is also mine'. He decided he needed to play it cool on Sunday evening, not angry and overpowering like he was before Claire had gotten to him. He needed to find out the truth and make Claire pay for what she had done to him; and along the way, find out why she had left him they way she had, find out why she hadn't told him about the baby, and why she had run into the arms of their mutual friend Brian Johnson.  
  
Getting up he and Rusty stepped towards the exit that had just been used by Claire and Brian to vacate the park, and soon they too were over the threshold themselves. Stopping off at the market on his way home he picked up steak for both of them, the treat he had promised, and then continued along the path to his house.  
  
Once inside, he let Rusty off his leash and went into his kitchen. He found other foodstuffs in the refrigerator to go with his steak and, when straightening up as he closed the door, he once again noticed the snow scene drawing attached to his pegboard. He laughed, "I shall either have my vengeance, Claire, or I shall have you back. 'Til Sunday." Saluting the drawing he turned away abruptly to continue cooking his and Rusty's meal. "'Til Sunday" he repeated. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r, thanks for those that have, thanks for your encouragement.  
  
Chapter 6 – Preparing the feast  
  
It was 7 pm in the Clarke household and Allison was beginning to fret. The day had been going so smoothly but things had started to go wrong about half an hour before the present time, when she had removed her favourite blouse from the cellophane wrapper it was in, only to find that the dry- cleaners hadn't done a very good job getting the wine stain out of it from a previous dinner party. "Shit!" she shouted, as she tried to quickly scan through her wardrobe to find something else that would be suitable.  
  
"It's a good job I got rid of the kids to your mothers, so they wouldn't hear language like that" Andrew remarked, laughing.  
  
"Yeah. Bloody good job too, Sporto! I do hope the rest of the evening doesn't go as badly as the start of it has".  
  
"Your just worried about what they are going to think." Andrew said as he gave his wife a hug. "If you stop tormenting yourself you and everything else will be fine." As she contemplated his words and hugged him back she knew he was right. Knew that the rest of the clubbers wouldn't care if she were half naked or that some of the dinner got ruined. The reason they would all be together again tonight was because they were all friends. He bent down and gave her one of his sweet kisses, it was remarkable after all the years they had been together his kisses were still as delightful as that first kiss they had shared on the steps outside Shermer High 18 years ago. And look what they had to show for it, their wonderful life together and their three bright, happy children. He lingered longer than he ought and if they weren't expecting company she was sure that he would have taken her to their bed straight away, but reluctantly she pulled away.  
  
"Do you know how much I want you right now?" Andy breathed.  
  
"I can guess," Allison responded, " but how exactly is that gonna look when our friends turn up?"  
  
"Well we could pin a note to the door saying 'Come back next week, we're indisposed at the mo!'"  
  
"Right, and then what, same may happen next week?"  
  
"You got it, if this is what it takes to get you on my own, without the family popping over and the kids running around."  
  
"I think we need to sort out a strategy for that. I think we're due for a vacation, but not tonight, okay?"  
  
"Okay" he said reluctantly, "I guess I should leave you to get on, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be down in a sec to check on the food." She said as she made her way into the en-suite to make sure that her face and hair were good. Andrew made his way downstairs and set the table in the dining room readying it for their imminent feast.  
  
Allison looked at the watch on her wrist, she had an hour to get ready. Well 50 minutes if Brian had anything to do with it. She knew he could never be late. Giving her hair one final brush and touching up her lipstick she left the confines of her bathroom and made her way downstairs to the Kitchen, passing Andrew on her way. She went to the oven first and checked to make sure that nothing was burning, she then went over to the burners to make sure that the simmering pans were not boiling dry. 'Okay, gravy' she thought and continued busying herself with the final touches to the meal. She hadn't bothered with a starter knowing no-one would want to eat one, well everyone except Andy. Sporto still knew how to pack it all away, and she felt sure that nothing would go to waste this evening. She watched as he picked up the last remnants of the childrens' toys and put them away in the chest in the Den, she also watched as he absently picked up one of his trophies that stood on the shelves in the same room, spat on it, and rubbed it down with his shirt cuff, replacing it when it had the preferred shine to it. She couldn't help but snigger.  
  
"What? What?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know, sometimes I think you love those trophies more than me," she jeered.  
  
"Really Mrs Clarke, and why would that be?" Andy retorted.  
  
"You seem to show them more attention than you do me."  
  
He moved toward her grinning and nodding his head slightly. "Really!" he said and started to chase her around the unit in the middle of the cabinet. Knowing she couldn't keep away from him for long she attempted to run but he gave chase quickly and ended up trapping her against the refrigerator. He started to tickle her until tears of delight began to run from the corners of her eyes. "Stop … Stop … Okay … you take a lot more … interest in me." She said through her laughter.  
  
"Okay, but if you ever say again that those trophies take precedence over you then do you know what your punishment will be?"  
  
"Oh, Andy, I don't know?" she said coyly.  
  
"Mad passionate sex for at least a month, the kids can stay at our parents, let them take it in turns!" he exclaimed.  
  
"I can't wait" she grinned.  
  
"Well, you only have to say the words, and I'm yours for 31 days of sheer pleasure."  
  
That was when the first set of headlights entered the drive of their home. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r, thanks for those that have, thanks for your encouragement.  
  
Chapter 7 – Meeting in Session  
  
Andrew and Allison gave one another a look of complete disbelief from their position in the hallway, as they watched Brian and Claire cower away together on the couples love seat.  
  
"I can't believe they came together," Andrew whispered to his wife.  
  
"I know, it was unbelievable to think that Claire and John had split up but this … you don't think they are … you know?" Allison replied  
  
"You gotta be kidding me, there is no way I could ever imagine those two ending up together." Andrew returned.  
  
"Right, but I can see we're in for an interesting evening … that's if Bender ever turns up. We better get those drinks."  
  
***  
  
John had pulled his car to the side of the road a couple doors down from the Clarke's home. A 'you can do this, you can do this' mantra was going over and over in his mind. "Damn" he exclaimed and hit the steering wheel with his right fist, "why does everything has to be so difficult when it involves Claire." He looked over to the house and noticed two cars in the driveway. Obviously Claire had arrived with Brian, probably for morale support. The thought of seeing the two of them together discussing the past 16 years ran through his mind and his eyes began to mist over. He put his left thumb to his mouth and lent his elbow against the steering wheel, deep in thought. Droplets of water began to spring up at the corners of his eyes, and he brushed them away angrily, remembering what his father had told him about men being real men and not crying like little girls. " I have to do this" he retorted, "if only for myself, I have to do this."  
  
He turned the car over again and put the automatic in drive. He rounded the corner into the driveway and found a convenient place to park. He checked his appearance, got out of the car and walked towards the front door. By the time he got there Allison and Andrew were already waiting for him to return their respective hugs and handshakes, on the porch.  
  
"So are the other two here?" he heard himself say.  
  
"Yes" Allison replied, "they came together" shooting Andrew a worried look. Andrew took her arm and they walked back into the hallway with John following.  
  
"Good, lets get this party started!" John called out.  
  
***  
  
Andrew returned to his favourite armchair as Allison made up the drinks that Brian and Claire had ordered. Returning to the living room with them she handed the respective beverages to each party and sat down on the long sofa that covered the length of the end wall. "So what have you two been getting up to since we last saw each other?" Allison started apprehensively.  
  
Brian motioned to Claire that she should start. She did so "I work as a free lance designer of children's clothing, I, along with my partner, have landed a large exclusive job at the moment which is keeping me busy. I also have a daughter, Leila. I'm sure you'll both agree that that is a full time occupation in itself." Bewildered Allison & Andrew looked at one another then back at Claire. "Oh, you don't think she is Brian's do you?"  
  
"Claire, we don't really know what to think. You rock up here with Brian and what? Are we supposed to know what's going on" Allison exclaimed, knowing that Andrew wouldn't say anything. He looked over at her, warning her she shouldn't be taking this further. "So what is the story? After all we are all supposed to be friends aren't we!"  
  
Brian looked hurt, and Claire shocked but Allison needed the truth, they hadn't all gone through that day together 18 years ago to pussy foot around and tell lies now.  
  
"We're not together and Leila isn't Brian's child, Brian has been my rock when I have needed a shoulder to cry on and has been there for Leila too, when she has needed a male ear to listen to her." Claire said.  
  
Brian then went on "We do have this pact though, that if we are both still single at 45 then we will get together for companionship."  
  
"Companionship?" Allison questioned. "Your both mad." And with that she proceeded to hug and kiss them both. Returning to her seat on the couch she said "so what do you do, Brian".  
  
"I have my own structural engineering firm, you know like bridges, and stuff."  
  
"Sounds interesting, man" Andrew returned.  
  
"Yeah, and he has this string of leggy blonde secretaries" Claire teased.  
  
"What? Going back on the pact of 'The Breakfast Club', Brian. Surely not" Allison said. And they all laughed, liked they had done years before.  
  
"That sounds like a car pulling up" Andrew exclaimed, and rising out of his chair he took a peek around the curtains. "Yeah, looks like Bender finally found us." Allison and he moved through the front door and onto the porch just as John was walking from his car. Allison had to hug John, which John didn't mind and Andrew simply shook his hand.  
  
Claire and Brian looked at one another, this was the moment of truth. "So are the other two here?" they heard John say. "Yes they came together" Allison had replied. "Good, lets get this party started!" John has answered. Claire and Brian sat bolt upright, holding each other's hand and not knowing what was to come before them.  
  
Allison motioned for them all to move into the dining room so that they could get their feast underway. John and Andrew had disappeared inside by the time Claire and Brian had got to the door, "Ladies first" Brian said as if to try and calm the situation down a bit, "Age before beauty" Claire had retorted and so Brian lead the way into the dining room.  
  
Claire kept her eyes to the floor as Brian lead her around the table to where her place card was situated. As she went to sit down, Andrew and John rose for her to do so. She quickly nodded and was seated. Brian sat next to her on her left, Andrew on her right and John was opposite. Allison brought the food in from the kitchen and placed the serving dishes upon the table. "Claire and Brian were telling us what they were doing these days, just before you arrived John" Alison said as she sat down. 'I bet they were' he thought eyeing up the two of them on the opposite side of the table. "What did they both tell you?" he asked.  
  
"Well, Claire is a children's clothing designer and Brian is a structural engineer – and both doing well by the sounds of it" Allison answered.  
  
"Good" John remarked, "and what are the two of you up to, these days?"  
  
"I am head of sports at Shermer High, and besides being the mother of three adorable children, Allison keeps her own studio."  
  
"Is that one of yours above the fireplace?" John motioned, watching more what affect he was having on Claire than on the picture itself.  
  
"Yes, do you like it?" Allison said.  
  
"Very much, I would enjoy looking at that every day, a piece of wilderness in the city outside my window" John answered noticing at last that Claire was eyeing him up, stopping abruptly when he caught her.  
  
"Then it's yours" Allison said seeking approval from her husband and getting it.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked her. She nodded her reply.  
  
"Dig in everyone" Andrew said, his stomach ready to implode if he didn't eat soon. He started serving up his own dinner and than passed the dishes around to the other guests at the table. "So what do you do for a living, John?" Andrew asked.  
  
"I'm a reporter, work at the 'Tribune' but never read it. Would like to work for the 'Sun Times' but at present no openings for an arts critic" John replied.  
  
"Really, what kind of arts" Brian ventured.  
  
John looked him straight in the eye. 'Joined the conversation have we' he thought "mainly books, but also films and sometimes theatre. So is Shermer High still the same non-descript sight that it ever was?"  
  
"Worse, and guess who's still there as VP?" Andrew said.  
  
"Vernon" the four now actively speaking members said in unison. Claire sat quiet and smiled weakly, continuing to service her plate with miniscule amounts of food, she wasn't feeling very hungry.  
  
Once all plates had been filled Allison stood up and said "On this day March 24th 2002 I hereby declare 'The Breakfast Club' re-opened" and with that she raised her glass to that of the others and a resounding "Cheers" from them all. "Brian if you will do the honours" she continued.  
  
Brian stood and cleared his throat. "Ehm. Dear Mr. Vernon". "Mr Vernon" they all responded. Brian continued "we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what he found out is that each one of us is a brain". "And an athlete" Andrew cut in. "And a basket case" Allison said. "A princess" Claire choked out. "And a criminal" John said with some relish. "Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club" Brian finished and with that they again toasted themselves and their 'Club'. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 8 – An evening of truth  
  
As the dinner progressed the conversation became light and casual. Most of the time they all reminisced about those times they had spent together until the 'club' had been disbanded, even Claire managed to find her voice.  
  
"So Brian, did you ever manage to finish an elephant lamp that worked?"  
  
"Err, No. But I can design a pretty good bridge that works."  
  
"And we still have light!"  
  
"You still eating raw fish, then Claire?"  
  
"What? Oh, yeah, and I have been able to accept a guy's tongue in my mouth."  
  
"John, haven't got any more dope stashed in Bri's shorts?"  
  
"No, no way, I gave up soon after; mind you I need four cups of coffee in the morning to get myself started."  
  
And the reason they had split was for no other than they all had moved on, especially those that went on to new schools. Allison and Andrew had been the lucky ones. They had gone to the same school and spent as much time together as they could. "My mother wasn't particularly happy when I said I was moving in with Allison" Andy said "but she knew we were very much in love and thankfully, with her support we were able to find a small place near to the college".  
  
"She even paid for the paint to decorate it with" Allison exclaimed.  
  
At the end of the second course Allison made her way from the table with the remaining dishes, "I'll be back in a sec with the coffee, Claire would you mind giving me a hand?"  
  
"No, not at all" Claire answered, thankful that she was able to retreat from John's glare.  
  
Although things had settled down across the table over dinner she was ever aware of his gaze. He only looked away occasionally to answer a question, cleverly ask another question of everyone else and return his watch upon her. 'Brian must have noticed' she had thought 'else why would he keep taking my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.'  
  
She got up from her seat and moved around the table, picking up what was left of the crockery and cutlery. She knew his eyes were upon her but she kept firm and made sure that she didn't falter especially when she got up close to him. He handed her the cutlery that he had not used and his fingers touched her hand. Electricity jolted up her arm, and she moved it away quickly as if she had been burned. None of this was lost on Brian. She looked over to him as she retreated to the Kitchen and he flashed her a quick look of understanding. 'What is going on?' she thought, placing her load down on the counter, 'Why after all this time do I still respond to him as if I am weak and helpless.'  
  
"You still love him, don't you?" Allison's voice crashed through her contemplations. "It's okay Claire, you know, to say how you feel and let it all come out. At the end of the day we're friends, if it wasn't for you then Andrew and I would never have found one another and for that I thank you and owe you a lot. I'm only sorry we lost contact all those years ago when you left John." The two women hugged.  
  
"You don't owe me anything, I think you and Andy would have found each other eventually anyway. But John and I … its all so complicated" Claire said.  
  
"Does it have to be? I mean couldn't you just tell him your sorry and make up?" Allison asked as she began filtering coffee and putting the rest of the dirty plates and cutlery into the dishwasher.  
  
"Allison, if you really knew what had happened you wouldn't even be asking." Claire looked up from her position, leaning against the doorframe. Tears appeared in her eyes.  
  
"So why don't you tell me, and then maybe we can work out some way to make him understand."  
  
Claire moved into the room and supported herself against the centre counter, "I don't think what I have to tell him he would understand" she responded.  
  
"And what exactly is that, Claire?" she heard John say from behind her, "what exactly is it that you want me to understand?"  
  
***  
  
Allison excused herself with the now filtered coffee and fled from the room. Once he had let her past, John quickly strode into the kitchen himself, pulled Claire's arm and dragged her into the den. Depositing her in the middle of the room he retraced his steps to the door and closed it. Turning to face her, he lent himself up against the closed door, "so come on, what is it, what is it I need to understand Claire?" he rasped, his voice steadier than it had ever been before with only a hint of anger, "why did you leave me?"  
  
For the first time that evening she looked him directly in the eye "You know why I left, I couldn't stand to watch you tear us apart."  
  
"That's not the reason, and you know it!" he bit out.  
  
"Well if you know then, why are you asking?"  
  
"Because I need to hear it straight from the horses mouth, not some letter you left on my dresser. Claire, what did I ever do to make you want to run from me; especially into the arms of someone like Brian?"  
  
"Brian is a wonderful, caring person."  
  
"I'm sure he is" he cut in "I know he is", his eyes sparkling with the anger that was filling them.  
  
"John, listen to me, the reason I left you is totally unconnected to Brian or anyone else in the entire world."  
  
"It's you and me then babe, huh?" The sarcasm was raw.  
  
"Yes" she said, watching him move his head to the side, their eyes still locked in combat if their mouths weren't. "Oh my god … your … it was you … you were the man sitting on the park bench on Friday … the man with the glasses and the dog." Realisation hit her and she had to find a seat. Sitting on the edge of the chest, she looked up at him. "What exactly did you hear us say?"  
  
"Is Leila mine?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Is Leila my daughter, Claire?" She nodded. John put his head back against the door and looked up at the ceiling. "Yes" she said, continuing to nod. He looked back at her, slowly shook his head, opened the door and slammed it behind him as he made his way out through the house to the hallway. Both Allison and Andy met him there, and he signalled he was leaving. "Wait" Allison said as he made it through the front door. Turning he noticed Brian on his way out to the den, 'Yes, you go to her, she needs you' he thought, "Andy, Ally, its been a wonderful evening, I'm so sorry I have to go so soon but I have to be up early in the morning."  
  
Allison wasn't convinced considering the look on his face, she walked him to his car. "You remember when we said we would all always be good friends," she said.  
  
"Yeah, 'course I do."  
  
"Good, just keep remembering that. We're always here for you. Go home and think about it, these things always look better in the morning, John" Allison said cryptically, "and don't lose touch this time."  
  
"I won't" he managed, as he got himself back into the comforting surroundings of his car. In an instant he was out of the driveway and heading home.  
  
***  
  
By the time Brian got to Claire she was weeping; he quickly found a seat next to her and began to console her in his arms. She pushed herself away from him, stood up and crossed the room. "Don't Brian, please. I did this to myself, I made my bed."  
  
"But Claire you know I'm always here for you."  
  
"I know, you're a good friend, but I don't need you" she pleaded. "I realised when I watched John slam the door behind him that I wanted him, now more than ever, but I've ruined any chance I had especially when I realised he knew the truth. He had the truth on Friday, Brian, he was sitting on the last bench we passed as we walked out of the park."  
  
"The man with the dog?" He asked  
  
"Yes, … has he gone?"  
  
At this point Allison and Andrew had now entered the den. "Yes" Allison simply replied.  
  
"I think its time I got home, Brian could you take me? I'm sorry Ally and Andy, if I hadn't been so stupid sixteen years ago as to run out, pregnant, on a man I loved more than life itself, and he me, then this argument you witnessed tonight would never have happened. I'm sorry to spoil your evening, look I'll call okay."  
  
They made their way through to the hall, "Don't leave it too long" Allison said "and remember things always look better in the morning."  
  
Hugs and kisses were distributed all round and soon Claire and Brian were on their way home.  
  
"I had a feeling tonight was going to be interesting, Sporto!" Allison said to Andrew as they waved goodbye to the retreating car.  
  
"Has your ESP kicked in again?" Andrew mocked playfully as they began to go back inside and shut out the world.  
  
"Something like that … yeah!" she replied. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 9 – Telling Leila  
  
It hadn't been easy for Claire after Sunday, and she had spent the last two days consoling herself and metaphorically 'licking her wounds'. She knew it was her own fault and it was up to her to try to put everything right, even if it meant losing some of her daughters love and respect and not having anything but friendship with Leila's father. If she could ever just be friends with John. And who was to say that he wanted her anyway, she thought she had felt some recognition of their past when she had looked at him during the dinner, but was that just because of the situation they had been in. Who was to say that he wasn't with another of his infamous girls anyway, and had he done that from the moment she had left him, left him alone to 'hang' with one or another of those pictured beauties he had had in his wallet. 'Thinking like this isn't helping' she considered.  
  
As Leila had been out for most of the last two days, Claire was able to screen her calls quite effectively. Letting the machine pick them up she would only select those people she felt she needed to talk to. And one of those persons wasn't Brian right now, he must have left over two dozen messages and considering she hadn't heard from him in a while had guessed that he had given up trying, probably felt that if she needed him she would ring. The one thing she knew she shouldn't do was keep Brian involved, she had to stand up for herself and work this out, to keep running would be the biggest mistake of her life if she hadn't already made it by not believing in John in the first place. If she loved him so much why did she believe, so long ago, that she couldn't rely on him.  
  
She had rung Allison and they had talked for over an hour or so and some of the things that Allison had said made sense. And the first thing Allison had told Claire to do was tell Leila, after all Claire had been determined to tell her anyway it had just been a question of when. Allison had told her to do it as soon as possible. 'If only she were here now,' she thought 'now would be as good a time as any other.'  
  
The phone began to ring for the umpteenth time that day and she listened intently for the voice, but no one said anything, there was just a void, a black space of nothing on her machine. Then it was gone, whoever it had been hung up. Claire checked the number and realised it was one she didn't recognise, but decided that it would have been withheld if it were one of those weirdo crank callers. She made a note of the number on the pad by the phone and went back into the living room to console herself once again.  
  
***  
  
"Hey there sleepy head, wake up my love" John lent in and gently kissed her lips so that her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Mmm. I love it when you wake me up like that. If only we could be like this forever." Claire said as she watched him sit back on his heels, wearing nothing but the silk boxers she had bought him for his birthday. He observed her bemused, studying the looks she was giving him. She made her way up his body until her eyes met his, those dark smouldering eyes with that hint of wickedness that she loved. And his hair unruly as ever but so endearing. She smiled and he followed suit. Bringing her arm out of its cocoon of covers she reached out and pushed his hair back over his ears. He moved his head slightly so that he was able to caress her wrist with his lips as well as find the exposed flesh at her neck with his left hand.  
  
"Mum"  
  
Touching and caressing carefully and slowly they soon found themselves in a passionate embrace, cuddling, kissing, loving.  
  
"Mum"  
  
Leila watched as her mother seemed to be enjoying whoever it was she was enjoying, writhing about on the sofa she seemed to have made her resting place for the last two days. Something was definitely up. "Mum" she shouted a third time and gave Claire a push to try and bring her back into the real world.  
  
"Mmm," Claire breathed "I love it when you do that!"  
  
Leila, dazed and confused by the turn of events, began to shake her mother as much as she dare to bring her back to reality. Claire, shocked at the violence of it all, sat up abruptly with eyes distant, where was she? What was she doing? Where was John? It was then she was able to comprehend, recognised the dream from events past, it had been the moment that Leila had been conceived, ironic then that it was Leila who had pulled her from this dream. 'There is no time like the present' she thought.  
  
"Mum are you okay. I couldn't help but notice you having some weird dream."  
  
"Leila I'm fine, really, please don't look so worried. Just do me a favour and sit down, there's something I need to tell you" Claire said.  
  
Obediently she sat opposite her mother and rested her hands together between her knees, she always had done that when she thought she was in trouble and Claire was familiar with the worry immediately. "It's nothing you've done, its something I've done."  
  
"Mum, what? What could you have possibly done to make yourself look so wretched, so …"  
  
Wretched eh? "I have done something terrible, I have lied to you, to Brian, to your uncle, to myself … and worst of all to your father."  
  
"My father? What has my father gotta do with this? You told me he was dead, he is dead isn't he, mum?"  
  
Leila looked so lost, Claire thought; immediately Claire's eyes began to fill up. "I'm such a horrible person I don't deserve anyone's love and when you know the truth I guess you won't want to love me either."  
  
"Mum" anger now appeared in Leila's voice, exactly like it had in John's two nights previously. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
By this time Claire was sobbing, her body rocking with the convulsions of tears running through her. "Your father … your father …"  
  
"YES!!!"  
  
"Your father is alive, he's a critic at the 'Tribune', … he's not dead … there was never any accident."  
  
Leila got up from her seat and began to pace, up and down the room. Claire just watched silently, the odd cry escaping her lips every few moments. Leila's eyes were glazed but she refused to cry, she just became more and more annoyed with every step she took. When she was ready to find out more she stopped still in front of Claire, turned to face her and asked "Why?"  
  
"Why what?  
  
"Why did it take you sixteen years to tell me the truth? Has it got something to do with that damned reunion? And if it has, mum … were you ever going to tell me the truth?"  
  
"I don't know," Claire said weakly, her spirit gone, it was the only thing she could say.  
  
Leila looked away briefly, when she returned to eye her mother, Claire could see hatred. "I thought I knew you, mum. Thought you loved and cared for me enough to let me know what had happened to John, but you don't. I don't understand you, I don't KNOW YOU, and I now don't know whether I ever have. I love you, I will always love you but I will never trust you again." With that she stormed from the room and the last thing Claire heard was Leila slamming the front door behind her.  
  
Claire's heart was broken, over the course of two days she had managed to alienate the two people she loved most in the world, and possibly three if she kept missing Brian's calls, and now it seemed like she was losing everything else. But then Brian had warned her, he had told her that Leila was more likely to react in the way that she had than to try and calm her mother and maybe endeavour to fix the hurting, but instead of getting better it was getting ten times worse. And all she could do was cry, she didn't even know where the tears were coming from after a while but they just kept on coming. 'Talk about "Cry me a River"' she had thought. It was about 2 am when she finally found sleep, sleep from wretchedness and weakness rather than that of solace. She was alone, no family, no friends, totally alone … forever. It would take a miracle to get everything straight, this mess that she and she alone had made for herself. And in her sleep her dreams were no better, tormenting and torturing her about what could have been if she had only made different choices in life. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 10 – Finding Dad ~ part one  
  
It had been hours since Leila had slammed that front door behind her. Through her anger and tears she tried to comprehend what had happened and why her mother had needed to lie to her for so long. Walking around the familiar streets of where she lived she had the chance to think of things that she needed to do in order to find her father. Thankfully Claire had told her a few things that she would need to use in order to find him, but what would she do if he didn't want to know her. She seated herself on the bench that doubled as a waiting stop for the Chicago Bus, and began to contemplate what she would do and say to this man she didn't know and what, if anything, she believed he would say to her; I don't want to know you or I want to get to know you. Her other problem this evening was what she was going to do about tonight. In all the years she had been able to argue with Claire she had never once taken to running off. This had been the first time, they both had always known where the other was. She could go to one of her friends homes but felt that over the last few days she would probably have outstayed her welcome, plus the fact that she didn't have anything with her, she was totally unprepared; and she didn't fancy spending the night tucked up on the bench she was sitting on at the moment. She knew her uncle and his family were on vacation and if they had been at home they would have started to ask questions. And she certainly couldn't bring herself to break into their house to spend the night either. She only had one option left, for tonight anyway, and knew it was the safest and best.  
  
"Brian?" Leila spoke cautiously through the handset of the public telephone.  
  
"Leila is that you? Your mother has been so worried about you, she's at her wits end."  
  
"She deserves it" she spat out, and then more emotionally "Is she there with you?"  
  
"No. I guess this phone call is for a bed for the night, I kind of thought you might ring."  
  
"I'm sorry Brian, I don't want to put you out or anything, I can spend the night at friends if you'd rather."  
  
"No. At least I'll know you'll be properly rested before you go gallivanting halfway across Illinois state tomorrow … Where are you, I'll come pick you up."  
  
Within half an hour Leila had been fed, had had a shower and was ready to speak to Brian before she went to bed. "Brian" she asked "Is mum okay, I mean did she sound okay when you last spoke to her?"  
  
"Would you? If you knew you had hurt someone really badly don't you think you would be feeling cut up?"  
  
"I suppose. Did you know?"  
  
"No, not at first. She told me last Friday."  
  
"How did you react?"  
  
"Pretty much the same way you did. It hurt, a lot, but I guess I always knew she still loved John very much. To be honest, after Sunday evening, I think I can safely say that John still loves your mother."  
  
"You know I have to find him don't you, have to find out who he is?"  
  
"Yes. Why do you think I agreed to let you stay, at least this way I know you won't be tired and under-nourished when you try to find him tomorrow. Did Claire tell you where he works?"  
  
"The 'Tribune', so I shall start there."  
  
"Know what your gonna say to him?"  
  
"No. We'll have to play that by ear."  
  
"Well, I have no doubt that he will know exactly who you are without you saying a thing."  
  
"Oh yeah, and how exactly do you work that one out?" she said, a smile touching her lips for the first time that evening.  
  
"You wait, I can also guarantee you'll know him too." Brian said, half teasing.  
  
"Mmm. We'll see. Goodnight Brian" she said and lent in to kiss him on the cheek.  
  
"Goodnight Leila, oh and just keep calling me tomorrow okay. At least I can tell your mum your alright if you keep telling me."  
  
"Okay! Wish me luck?"  
  
"Good luck, you won't need it though," he said, although not believing it entirely.  
  
***  
  
The early morning sun streamed through the gaps in the meeting edges of the curtains to fall over Leila's face. Opening her eyes she read the time on the clock. 9 am. All in the apartment was quiet, knowing that Brian would have left for work well before now. She hurriedly washed, dressed and fed herself and left a note for Brian, thanking him for his kindness.  
  
Leaving his apartment she found her way out of the building and onto the next available bus for the city. It took little more than an hour and following the directions she had been given by the lady in the information kiosk, she soon found the building she had been looking for. It stood tall and proud in front of her with the 'Tribune's' emblazoned characters reaching across the top layer. 'Here goes' she thought.  
  
Walking into the foyer she made her way across to the security desk and asked the guard on duty if she would be able to see a Mr John Bender.  
  
"I'm sorry girlie" he snorted "but the gentleman you are after hasn't signed in this morning, he's probably out and about today, you know sometimes they give him a story to check out if one of the reporters is off sick."  
  
"Thanks … Graham" she said, finding his name on his badge. "Thanks, you don't possibly know where he is, do you?"  
  
"No I'm afraid I don't, I'm not informed of anyone's whereabouts when they're not on site. But that gentlemen with the case by the lift will probably know, they work in the same department."  
  
"Thanks" she exclaimed and gave chase after the man waiting at the lift. "Excuse me … excuse me …" she wailed to try to catch his attention.  
  
The man looked around noticing the teenager running towards him. "Yes?" he questioned.  
  
"Excuse me, do you know Mr Bender?"  
  
"What John, yeah, sure I do!"  
  
"You don't know where he is today do you?"  
  
"You know I do, he told me last night he had been given this assignment for some school or other. Some High School … where was it now?"  
  
"It is really important that I find him today" she said forcefully but pleasantly.  
  
'I've seen that anger somewhere else before,' he thought, "Ah wait, yes, Shermer, Shermer High School."  
  
"Thank you" she said, "thank you so very very much, you don't know how much you've helped."  
  
"Okay" he said thinking, 'if I didn't know any better I'd have said she was John's kid.' With that he walked into the waiting lift and went about his daily business.  
  
Leila walked from the building, she had to get to Shermer High, and she had to get there fast. The train would take her into the centre and a taxi to the school, running for the station she made the next train out just in time. Finding herself a comfortable spot she sat down and watched the world go by, thinking how great it would be to finally meet the man who had so far eluded her. It was easily another hour until it was time for her to get off at her stop and once off she found the next awaiting taxi and ordered it on its way to the High School.  
  
She looked at the building and immediately recognised it from the picture that Claire had in the top drawer of her dresser. The secret drawer that held the memories of the 'Club' and John Bender. She recognised the grey drabness of the building but in the picture it had been lit up for the prom. And there the five of them had been right in the front of the doors, dressed up to the nines; all the guys in tuxedos, John's being styled to reflect his own personality she had noticed, and the two girls in beautiful dresses.  
  
A man in a brown polyester suit spotted her and called out. "Hey missy, no loitering, what lesson are you supposed to be in right now? Whatever it is you should get to it quick before you get detention."  
  
"I'm not a student here," she said as she walked towards the man.  
  
"Well what are you doing here then?" he replied. She was in front of him know and he felt uncomfortable, what was it about this girl that made him feel so uncomfortable.  
  
"My name is Leila Standish, Claire Standish's daughter, she graduated from here in 1985."  
  
Now he had it, if she was who she said she was there was no denying who her father was, John Bender.  
  
"I'm looking for my father" she continued, "I believe he's here today doing some article for the 'Tribune'."  
  
"Hah!" he shot out, "Bender's here is he, and working for the 'Tribune' no less, there is no way Miss Standish that he is here under that guise, your father was a drop out, why on earth would the 'Tribune' give him a job as a reporter." He knew it was cruel but didn't care, he had seen a gentleman walking the corridor's of the school this morning – on his way to the sports hall from what he could tell – but there was no way that that refined, smart gentleman was this girl's father.  
  
"Your Mr Vernon aren't you?" she asked, tears prickling her eyes.  
  
"Yes" He said cautiously, not expecting what was to come next, " How did you know?"  
  
"Because of your connotations about my father, no one else would dare to talk about him like that, not even my mother or Brian Johnson" she blurted out.  
  
'Brian Johnson, how could he ever be involved?' he thought, "Listen, missy …" he began – 'you see us as you want to see us' rattling through his mind.  
  
"When my mum and Brian, and possibly their friends, find out how cruel you have been to me and about my father, Mr Vernon, there will be hell to pay" and with that she turned on her heel and left the school grounds.  
  
Phoning Brian on her cell phone she proceeded to tell him about events passed and found it difficult to decide what to do next. Brian remarked that as he didn't believe she would now be welcomed into the school with open arms in order to find anything out from Andrew Clarke, it would perhaps be better if she could try to find his wife, Allison, who had a studio in the town; maybe she could find out more there. Making her way back into the town she made her enquiries along the way and soon found out where the business was situated. She made herself ready for the meeting with one of her mother's best friends, checking what she could see of herself in the window she pushed the door open and entered the building. No one was in the front of the gallery but she heard voices coming from the back.  
  
"Andy said I should drop by and at least pick up the painting" A man's voice said.  
  
"Well, I'm glad you did. Can you stop a while we need to talk. Perhaps we could go get something to eat" a woman replied.  
  
"Yeah, okay," the reply had been.  
  
Making her way through to the back she called out "Hello", the talking stopped and Allison popped her head from around the corner of the open doorway. Allison knew at once who it was.  
  
"Hello there" Allison said kindly.  
  
"Hi are you Allison Clarke?" Leila asked.  
  
"Yes I am, and you must be Leila."  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"I can see your mother in you" she replied and taking her hand she led her towards the back room, "Perhaps we should have a chat." Once Leila made it into the back she could only just make out a figure sitting near the window as it was quite bright in contrast to the gallery itself. Her eyes began to adjust and she saw something she couldn't fathom. Looking back at her from the other side of the room were her own eyes. Her throat constricted and dried, the only word she got out before tears welled in her own eyes was "Dad?" 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 11 – Finding Dad ~ part two  
  
The feelings John Bender had on Wednesday morning when he awoke were of peace and absolution. Strange, bearing in mind the events of Sunday evening, but he felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Okay so Claire hadn't exactly told him what the real reason had been for her running off like she had but he had a daughter, after all the years he had been alone he'd never thought that that would have happened, and he wanted to get to know her. 'That's if she wants to get to know me,' he thought. And so he'd missed the first sixteen years of her life but it would be fun finding out what he had missed and they could get on with their lives from now onwards, as father and daughter, as friends; and how would Claire take that news! 'I really don't care what she thinks' his head said, 'Oh yes you do' returned his heart.  
  
Allison had been right, things had been better in the morning. After spending the rest of Sunday evening drinking with his friend JD, he had awoken Monday to find that things weren't so bad after all. It seemed that with every mouthful of whiskey he had drunk the previous evening the feelings of hurt and hatred he had felt against Claire were replaced with love and adoration for Leila, for a daughter he hadn't yet met. Maybe he and Claire could learn to tolerate one another again, if they weren't past that stage in their relationship but he could make amends with Leila, be there for her, like Brian had been for her first sixteen years.  
  
He had spoken to Allison that evening, and she had given him Claire's phone number suggesting that the first move towards seeing his daughter would be to get her mother on side, perhaps. It had taken him another 24 hours to pluck up the courage to phone her, but she hadn't been there. 'Probably with Brian' he'd thought, the green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head momentarily. He couldn't bring himself to speak and leave a message so he hung up, a dark void appearing in his soul as it had on Claire's answer phone.  
  
He had followed his usual routine over the past few days and this morning was no exception. As usual he had showered, shaved and taken Rusty for his morning stroll. On returning to the house he made coffee and drank two cups, he would have normally spent the first half hour or so of his day reading his paper before he had to start making his way to work but this morning it didn't matter. He had persuaded his boss to let him write a story on high school sports and had phoned Andy to see if it would be possible to drop in on him. Andy had agreed "anytime after 9.30" he'd said, so the day had been set.  
  
Pulling up to Shermer High he remembered the time that he and his friends had had their picture taken outside the doors on prom night. God, what a night that had been, the stares that he and Claire, and Andy and Ally, got from the 'in crowd' were unbelievable. Total disbelief from everyone all- round. And when they had had their first public kiss, well! From that moment on most people had seen him in a different light including, he had thought, Claire.  
  
He found a spot in the lot and parked the car. Pulling himself from his car, he stood and looked around, remembering all of the times he had spent around the place. This had, after all, been his first time back to the location since graduation. And he had graduated. Not well admittedly, but graduated none the less, with Claire's help.  
  
After finding his way to reception and asking for Andy's office he walked over to the sports hall. He was passed on the way by Vernon. Vernon eyed him up but he was sure that the Vice Principle hadn't recognised him, after all he was wearing his glasses again.  
  
He soon found Andy giving some poor kid a telling off over a stunt he had pulled. John could only think, amusingly, back to when Andy himself had done something similar and ended up in detention. And with that in mind was obviously the reason why Andy didn't want this kid to go the same way, especially considering the way he was talking to him about responsibility and thinking for himself.  
  
"Bender, so you're finally here" Andy said as soon as he'd dismissed the kid.  
  
Colliding their hands together in a mid air high five he replied, "You know me, Sporto. Better late than never."  
  
"How you been since Sunday, man?" Andy said motioning for them to go and sit in his office. He grabbed his seat and John sat down opposite.  
  
"Okay, I've started to think about the future instead of trying to relive the past, hoping that I can meet my daughter and at least become a part of her life even if I can't be a part of her mother's."  
  
"You know, its weird, thinking you have a child and a teenager at that. It was a bit of a shock."  
  
"It was a shock for you!" John replied laughing, "its been a bit of a blow for me too, realising there was someone out there that I should have been looking after, looking out for all those years and not being able to, not knowing I could do."  
  
"You're just going to have to make it up to her."  
  
"Yes, I am. That's if she wants to know me."  
  
"John, I have no doubt that when you two finally meet she is going to love you, and you her. You're going to be fine, relax."  
  
"Okay, you're right I know you're right. What does Allison think?"  
  
"Where did you think all that lot came from," Andy said "You know I think she'd really like to see you, if only for you to pick up that painting we gave you."  
  
"I'll pop over later, so can we make a start on this story?"  
  
"Yeah, no problem. Shoot."  
  
***  
  
Two and a half hours later he was on his way again. Driving from the school he made his way into town and parked outside Allison's gallery. He walked into the friendly building and stood by the desk, that at present, was un-occupied. Noticing a bell he proceeded to ring it.  
  
"Hi" Allison said as she made her way through the pictures and sculptures that were arranged in the gallery.  
  
"Hi, how are you?" John asked.  
  
"Great, all the better for seeing you as well. I thought I was never going to get rid of that painting you wanted" she exclaimed, "come on through."  
  
"Thanks, is this all of your work?"  
  
"The paintings are, the sculpture's are my partner's" she replied "I mean I could never have opened this venture on my own, not having a lot of capital or anything."  
  
"Allison, this stuff is wonderful. Where do you get the inspiration?"  
  
"Do you really think that Andy and the kids aren't inspiration enough!" she said, but noticed a sudden flash of pain sweep across his face, "Oh god, John, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."  
  
"Its okay, I think the idea of having Leila has inspired me to do something about my job. After all I got off my butt and asked for my first feature."  
  
"Yeah, I heard. How did it go?"  
  
"Very well, you know your husband can be very philosophical when he wants to be and he loves to inspire those kids."  
  
"Yes, I guess I brought out the best in him." They both laughed.  
  
They were now in the back room, "Great light," John exclaimed, "is this your studio?"  
  
"Yeah, I generally sketch my ides first using pen and ink or watercolour first and then I use this room to create the big stuff. That one," she said pointing, "I'm working on at the moment is supposed to be like a sister painting to the one that you know own." She said smirking.  
  
"This one?" he asked. She nodded. "The colours are great, and it's very … dramatic."  
  
"I wanted to try and create a feeling of Fall, with the wind blowing through the foliage on the trees and pulling the leaves from their branches."  
  
"You seem to have captured it, alright."  
  
"Thank you"  
  
"That's okay. Anyway this is why I'm here," he said pointing to what appeared to be his packaged picture. "Andy said I should drop by and at least pick up the painting."  
  
"Well, I'm glad you did. Can you stop a while we need to talk. Perhaps we could go get something to eat."  
  
"Yeah, okay."  
  
"I'll just go and shut the shop up, then we can make a move" Allison responded, "Hang on that sounds like a customer."  
  
"Hello" he had heard a young girl say.  
  
Allison stuck her head round the corner of the door and made her way back into the gallery. "Hello there" she said.  
  
"Hi are you Allison Clarke?" the girl had asked.  
  
"Yes I am, and you must be Leila."  
  
"How did you know?" the girl responded  
  
"I can see your mother in you" John heard Allison say. Was this his daughter, had she come in search of him? Allison re-entered the room with a teenage girl in tow. From his seated position by the window he was able to make out a slight, beautiful young woman resembling her mother in every detail, except for two things. She had his eyes, by god did she ever, piercing, sparkling deep brown eyes and her hair, not the auburn of Claire but the dark wavy brown as was his own. He noticed the way she looked at him, her jaw agape, and she finally spoke.  
  
"Dad?" the only thing she could say, tears welling up her eyes.  
  
"Leila?" John asked, "Is that you?" 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r – thanks to all who have reviewed so far, thanks for your encouraging comments.  
  
Chapter 12 – Finding Dad ~ part three  
  
"I'll go and have some lunch and I'll be back in about an hour, if I'm not back by the time you want to leave then just pull the door to on your way out." Allison said as she got her coat from the rack and made her way out of the room. Before leaving entirely she said, "Just take as much time as you need. Leila, John, you both have a lot of time to catch up on."  
  
"Thanks" John responded, never taking his eyes off of his daughter. He got up from his seat and made his way across the room to where Leila stood. "Hi" he simply said, a smile touching the very edges of his lips.  
  
Leila looked at him bewildered; there was no long hair, no earrings and no 'rockers' clothing in sight. This smart handsome man that stood before her was her father. He didn't look anything like his earlier pictures, but then that had been so long ago. Age had obviously made him more refined, that and his job. But there was no mistaking the family resemblance and he had obviously picked up on that too.  
  
"Hi" she replied, not knowing whether to smile, laugh, cry. So many emotions to choose from. Noticing this, John took one final step towards her and wrapped he up in probably the best hug she had ever had. It wasn't like no one had ever hugged her before but knowing that this man should have been there for her whilst she was growing up made this seem more favourable. She felt a surge of love trickle through her body, which sent her mind reeling, the next thing she knew she was crying uncontrollably. Holding her closer to him, John also started to feel such a mass of sentiment that he too began to cry.  
  
Twenty minutes had easily passed before they both found the courage to pull away from one another, feeling safe in the knowledge that the other would still be there when they withdrew from their embrace.  
  
"So kiddo," John said wiping the tears from her face and smoothing her hair behind her ears, "you're Leila, my daughter."  
  
She acknowledged with a nod. "And you're my dad, John." She replied.  
  
He too nodded, solemnly at first but then with more vigour. "Has you mum ever told you anything about me?" he asked.  
  
"Not very much, for a long time she lied to everyone. Told us all that you had been killed in an accident at work."  
  
"And I guess you had no reason to disbelieve her." Leila shook her head.  
  
"When did she tell you the truth?"  
  
"Yesterday," came the reply, bitter and angry, 'another Bender trait' John thought. "And because of that I haven't been able to bring myself to talk to her since."  
  
"She must be worried" he remarked, "you need to let her know where you are, you know."  
  
"I know, Brian knows. I've been telling him so that he can tell mum."  
  
"Yeah, he's a good friend. She'll need to hear from you though, eventually."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose. Why did she run away from you, dad?" He knew the question would have had to come out sooner or later.  
  
"I don't know, she hasn't been able to tell me yet." He reclaimed his seat, rested his elbows on the table in front him and put his head in his hands. Rubbing his face gently he said, "Why, Claire, why on earth did you have to be so cruel."  
  
Leila walked over to where he was sitting and moved the other chair around to sit by his side. Once sat, she leant over putting her arm around his shoulders and rested her head on his back.  
  
"Do you still love her, dad?" she enquired.  
  
"Yes … I love her more than life itself," he replied.  
  
"But?"  
  
"No buts, Leila. I love her, plain and simple, and I believe I love her more now I know I have you. I'm just sorry that haven't been there for you, that you had to rely on Brian instead of me."  
  
"Dad, relax, it's okay, really," Leila said "and I didn't rely on Brian too much. Okay, he helped out occasionally, but mum was very strong and independent, in the end all I needed was her. I'm only sorry that I wasn't allowed to get to know you sooner. At first, she obviously felt it better for me to not know the truth about you, thinking that I might want to find you when she did eventually tell me and begin to rake up all those emotions that she had managed to lay to rest. Then perhaps, she felt it was too late to tell me knowing that with every day that passed it was harder and harder for her to tell me and everyone else the truth. Keeping up the charade she had begun my life with was a lot easier for her. The only problem being when she got that invitation from Allison, I think she must have finally realised that the truth was going to come out."  
  
"For someone so young, you're a bright kid" John said, "I only wish I had half your insight when I was your age, then maybe things could have been different." He looked at her and pinched her cheek. She responded with a smile.  
  
"Dad, I really don't think there is any point the two of us dwelling on things past. We've found each other now and we have to move on. I'm angry with mum, yes, as you are too. But thinking about it, she must have had her reasons. What we have to do now is make her realise that she can have her life with you again."  
  
"Whoa! What exactly do you mean by that, that she and I can be together?"  
  
"Dad, you love her, right?"  
  
"Right?"  
  
"And she loves you!"  
  
"How do you work that one out, young lady? And besides relationships are a lot more complicated than I think your giving credit to."  
  
"Why, why do things have to be complicated? When I got home last night mum was lying on the sofa, asleep. She must have been there a while, she was distressed and wretched looking, like her whole world had fallen apart."  
  
"That doesn't mean she loves me" he looked at her warily.  
  
"It does when she says your name over and over. She was having this dream and it was pretty animated."  
  
He started to smirk at the idea of Claire having a physical dream about them, 'not so pristine, after all,' he thought.  
  
Leila continued "It's not like she hid you away from me either, she has this box, like a jewellery box. Brian gave it to her. She has all of the old photo's of you and her, the prom night, the 'club' together and she has this one diamond earring."  
  
John's eyes met Leila's; it was now his turn to stare in astonishment. 'Too much sentiment for her not to love you' his heart bellowed. His breath became rapid, coherent thoughts rapidly fell silent in his head. "Leila, could you describe the earring?"  
  
"A single diamond stud, she never wears it or anything, it just sits there in that box."  
  
"What does the box look like?"  
  
"Its made of a dark wood like oak, may even just be stained to look like oak – I don't really know too much about it, I've only seen it a couple of times. You look really different now, from those pictures I mean."  
  
"For the better?"  
  
"Yes … but then I suppose you can't really go around with long hair and black gloves when you work for a newspaper. I can see why she liked you then though; I would have liked you too. You may have acted tough then but I think you've always had a heart of gold, really."  
  
"Yeah? Nice of you to say, thanks. I'll have to tell you about your grandparents someday though."  
  
"Are they alive?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Mum said they had gone too."  
  
"My mum is still around, but she is a very bitter woman. My dad passed on several years ago now. That box you know, I have one too. I keep my prized possessions in it too, my photos of Claire and the guys, one of me with mum and dad, and a diamond earring – the matching one to that that your mother has. She gave me that eighteen years ago, it was the day the five of us all had detention together. It was also Claire that initiated our first kiss too, if she hadn't then she would never have given me the earring and … did she ever tell you this?"  
  
"She told me about the detention, but she would never tell me anything about you – so I never knew about the earring. Every time she looked at those pictures her eyes would glaze over and she would go into a state of disharmony. A week ago I had got home from work and could hear the taps to the bath running. When I went to see what mum was up to she had obviously turned them on with the intention of getting in but she was nowhere to be seen. After I'd cleaned up a bit, I went into her bedroom, she was sitting at her dresser touching the mirror, as if she was touching someone, her other hand was on your photograph. I didn't say too much, I knew she wouldn't appreciate it, so I just made some crack about re-modelling to include a swimming pool inside the house. Dad I'm sorry."  
  
"Good gag, your take after father for wise cracks," he mused. "That box she has, it's an exact copy of one I have at home. I made both of them in 'shop', Brian was failing another one of his projects so I gave him one and kept the other for myself."  
  
"Brian told me that mum had seen it and had fallen in love with it. He had had it in his office and she couldn't take her eyes off it, so he gave it to her. Did he know you had made one for yourself too?"  
  
"No, I thought it best not to let him know, he would have only worried about it. Has Brian ever told you anything?"  
  
"Not really, I guess mum swore him to secrecy, but then she did lie to him too, perhaps he felt weird telling me, perhaps he felt it would be better coming from her."  
  
"Wise man … with your mum's temper, that is. It's a stupid man that would cross her. Did you ever have any other uncle's?"  
  
"No. None. She never entertained the idea. Like I said before, Brian used to help out occasionally, normally to baby sit me when mum went on business trips and the like, and the only other men that ventured over the threshold were mum's brother and granddad. Nana never came."  
  
"That doesn't surprise me. She never could stand me and I suppose when Claire 'disgraced' herself by falling pregnant with you, grandmother never showed her face."  
  
"I don't know! However, what I do know is this. You and mum need to sit down together and sort out this mess you've both got yourselves into. Then maybe, we can become a proper family."  
  
"And how exactly do you think we're going to manage that." 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r – thanks to all who have reviewed so far, thanks for your encouraging comments.  
  
Chapter 13 – Brian helps out (and gets a date into the bargain)  
  
Brian sat at his desk, not paying too much attention to the meeting that was taking place. He was rather more enjoying the company of the olive skinned, raven-haired beauty that sat before him.  
  
"So Mr Johnson, what do you think to my proposal?" she said.  
  
"Well, Miss Hammell, I am very impressed. I hadn't really been that interested in taking anyone on at the present, but your calibre of work is outstanding and I believe that you have the right attitude to help me take this company into the future. I'm afraid that the job I would be offering at the moment is slightly junior to what you had in mind, but in time I can not see any reason why you wouldn't be able to get what you wanted, if not exceed it."  
  
"Thank you, Mr Johnson, thank you for this opportunity, I am very grateful to you."  
  
"Brian please, if we are going to be working together than I think we can be a little more informal."  
  
"Thanks, Brian. My name is Rebecca, well Becky to my close friends." She said, slightly less confidently than she had been before, "I'm so honoured by your faith in me. I followed your progress right through college. You were my favourite designer and engineer."  
  
Now she had his undivided attention, had it just been a line or not, he wasn't sure, but it had made him sit up and take note of her. But then there was something in her air that made him think otherwise. 'She likes me!' he thought, 'she actually likes me. What the hell, I'm gonna get this girl to go out with me.'  
  
"Becky" he said, "thank you for the compliment, it was very kind of you but you really don't need to suck up to me or anything, I know your good at what you do." She looked hurt for a moment until he said, "Your weren't sucking up were you. No. Uhm, look I need to make this up to you, perhaps we could start over, would you accept an invitation to dinner?"  
  
She looked slightly shocked for a second, and then she smiled. "Okay" she said shyly, "I'd love to."  
  
"Good. I've got your address, shall I pick you up at say 8 on Sunday. We can discuss a bit of business and get a little more familiar if you would like." He got up and moved around the desk to where she was sitting, took hold of her out stretched hand and helped her from her seat. He then gently kissed her hand before releasing it.  
  
"Sounds great, I'll see you then, Brian." She said as she made her way to the door of his office. In a flash she had gone, 'but only until Sunday' he contemplated.  
  
"Mr Johnson" his secretary said over the intercom. "There are a Mr John Bender and a Miss Leila Standish here to see you."  
  
"Send them in," he said immediately.  
  
The door opened again and this time John and Leila entered the room. "John, Leila, how are you both" he said uneasily.  
  
"Brian, why are you so tense?" Leila asked.  
  
"I guess I'm not too good around your father, especially when he wants to get violent" he replied.  
  
"I'm not gonna get violent, you goon. I came here … we came here to see if you could possibly help us. If you can't then fine, I'm not going to hit you." John said.  
  
Brian's face broke out into a smile, "thank you god" he said under his breath. He walked over to where John and Leila stood, looking at them both it wasn't hard to see their connection and let anyone try otherwise. Shaking John's hand he didn't expect the bear hug that was to come from him. Leila watched on and then joined in putting one arm around both of them, they brought her into the circle.  
  
"So who was the broad?" John asked.  
  
"My new junior designer." Brian replied.  
  
"I didn't know you had an old one," Leila deadpanned. They all laughed. Brian had a leather suite in one corner of his office and he motioned for them all to take a seat. "Does anyone need a drink?" he asked. "No" they both replied.  
  
"Becky's work is incredible," Brian continued, collecting looks from the other two.  
  
"She must have knocked you for six" John said  
  
"He's smitten" Leila concluded.  
  
"She hasn't and I'm not. But she has agreed to meet me for dinner on Sunday evening. Anyway," he joked, "I'm a very busy man what did the two of you come over for, I'm sure it wasn't to see how my love life was going."  
  
"So you do have one?" John teased.  
  
"I have happened to have had several affairs in my time."  
  
"And one large crush" John continued. Leila couldn't help but laugh at the scene that was unfolding before her, the rapport between these two was wonderful.  
  
"And what exactly are you laughing for?" Brian interjected.  
  
"It's just so good to see you two get on so famously, especially with the situation with mum and everything."  
  
"Well, I have just had to give up gracefully as far as your mother is concerned, Leila. John was always pretty tough competition, even when we were both led to believe he wasn't around anymore. You know, over the past sixteen years, there is one thing that always remained constant. She hid it well for a long long time, but when she told me the truth on Friday I knew," turning toward John, he went on, "She has always loved you, man. Maybe with only her knowing the truth about the two of you it was easier for her to go on, and believe, perhaps, that if you did come knocking she would be able to be there for you. She's messed up, messed up bad, but if you hold this against her for the rest of her life I'm afraid the pressure will make her heart die. After everything bad she has done she has made up for it by bringing up this wonderful young woman on her own, practically. John, she doesn't deserve to be tortured – she deserves to be loved, by the only man she wants and has ever wanted."  
  
"Thanks Brian, I was kind of hoping you would say something like that, I mean I didn't want to have to fight you or anything" John teased, "I love her too, I want her back so badly it hurts, that why I'm here."  
  
"When I saw the way you watched her on Sunday I knew, knew you still wanted her. It was difficult for her, knowing you would be there made her completely psycho. I've never seen her react before, like she did when I picked her up. She was shaking, she was angry, she was sorry and she was sad, so sad I'm sure it would have broken your heart if you had seen her. She is my friend and I would never want to see her like that again, but you're my friend too and I know you'll never allow her to become like that again. The only thing I have to do is forget I ever saw Claire Standish as a person that could fall for me. It's not so bad, at least I know who I lost her to," he joked, "and I know he would never hurt her, he's the salt of the earth, a very decent man by all accounts. John, you two are soul mates."  
  
"Thanks, you don't know how much that means, coming from you," John said.  
  
"Are we ready now," Leila exclaimed, "because I think we better get on with setting this plan in motion." 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 14 – Reconciliation?  
  
"Come on Claire," Brian said totally frustrated. He had to get her out of her house before she turned suicidal, and so that phase two of 'Operation Reconciliation' could take shape. "You look absolutely wrecked, wouldn't you like to get yourself sorted out and go shopping or something."  
  
"Not particularly, Brian. And what exact role are you going to have. Chief bag handler?"  
  
"Sarcasm was always your strong point wasn't it. Look, Allison phoned me last night because she couldn't get hold of you, she wants to meet you in the city, see if she can help to cheer you up. She also wants some advice on where the best clothing shops, and beauty salons are; I can't give her any information on anything like that can I? Anyway, I said I would try to get you to go, and even take you in to meet her if you wanted me to."  
  
"Brian, look at me, do I look like I really want to face the outside world?" Claire spat out.  
  
"No, you look like someone who has got this enormous great chip on their shoulder. Get a grip will you. Allison isn't going to be concerned about how you look, she's only going to be upset if you don't show."  
  
Claire stared at him. Maybe he was right. Maybe she did need to sort herself, get herself going again, and forget about John. 'John who?' she began to think.  
  
"Snap out of it, Claire. I said I would try to get you two together by about 10. If you don't get ready soon your going to be late."  
  
"Okay, okay, Brian. Who died and made you Pope." He glared at her wryly. "I'm sorry, I know your only trying to help."  
  
"Yes, well any more remarks like that and I'll consider removing you from my Christmas list" he joked.  
  
Claire sniggered, it must have been the first happy emotion she had had over the last four days, and she was glad of it, it began to make things look different. Not that huge developments with her and Leila or John's relationships were going to drastically improve very soon. "Okay, I'm up, I'll just get myself showered and ready and then you can drop me in the city as promised."  
  
"Thank god, just don't take hours to get ready will you." She heard Brian call out as she made her way upstairs to the bathroom.  
  
As soon as Claire was safely tucked away in the bathroom, Leila sneaked from her room and went downstairs to talk to Brian. She had so far managed to keep up the pretence with Claire that she wasn't happy with what her mum had done, and although it had seemed to make Claire more depressed than she deserved, it meant she would hopefully be in a tolerable mood later on when she returned home from her trip out with Allison. Gaining Andy and Allison's help had been easy; they, along with the rest of them couldn't wait to see John and Claire back together, they only hoped it would be sooner rather than later.  
  
"How's it going so far?" Leila said quietly to Brian.  
  
"Well, I've at least managed to get her interested in this trip, so then all we've got to do is make sure we can keep her out for a while too."  
  
"Brian, I reckon dad, Andy and I can get finished in a couple of hours but I'm sure that you and Allison can keep her occupied for a little longer than that."  
  
"We'll try our best for you, Leila," he said affectionately, "just make sure your dad knows what he's going to say to her so he doesn't mess up."  
  
"I'll make sure he's prepared" Leila responded, "Sounds like mum's on her way back down." She nodded to Brian 007 style, grabbed herself a bowl of cereal from the kitchen, pushed the headphones of her personal cd player over her ears and made her way back up the stairs pushing past Claire, who by this time was on her way back down. Reaching the bottom step, remorse swept through Claire and she sighed heavily.  
  
Brian put his arm around her shoulder. "Look, Claire, she just needs time to get used to the idea."  
  
"I know, I just wish I could take back the last sixteen years, even if I still had left her father - in scenario B, I should have told her the truth from the very beginning."  
  
"Stop crucifying yourself over it. I'm sure things will turn out okay in the end."  
  
"Brian stop kidding yourself, things never turn out okay, never turn out the way you want them to."  
  
"No, right. So that's why the five of us became very close friends eighteen years ago was it. Claire, don't you realise even now, all you've got to do is make a stand, instead of taking a stand in front of your 'richie' friends though this time, you have to take a stand up to your emotions." She motioned for him to continue. "You want John don't you?" She nodded. "Then forget what your head is telling you at the moment and follow your heart, if you need help finding him I will do my best to help and I'm sure Allison and Andy will do the same, I also know that Leila will thank you for it too."  
  
"But what if he doesn't want me, Brian. If that happened I think I'd die."  
  
"Point being, if you don't ask you will never know, and if you never know you may as well be dead anyway. Until you can face up to reality, you can never love again, Claire."  
  
"Your right. Okay, I need to find him and ask him how he feels but I think right now I need to be pampered a bit."  
  
"Good, your chariot awaits ma'am."  
  
Leila, watched from her window to see when Brian's car had pulled away from the house and had disappeared around the corner of the street. Picking up her cell phone she rang John, who was sitting in his car a little way down the street and had also seen them leave. "Are you and Andy ready?" Leila asked.  
  
"As ready as we will ever be." John answered  
  
"Good lets get started." Leila said.  
  
***  
  
"Okay, so the music's ready, the wine is on ice, and you do know what you are going to say to mum, don't you dad?" Leila said straightening John's tie, they had all felt that on an occasion such as this a decent suit was warranted, so John had made sure that his best was up to scratch before bringing it over with him. Leila surveyed the man before her; she couldn't believe it was the same person from this morning let alone from his pictures. He and Andy had turned up two minutes after Claire and Brian had left. John had looked rough then, like he'd had a restless night, and as if to quantify her questioning face he had simply said, "I didn't sleep". She had let him wander through the house so that he could get a feel for Claire and how she now lived. Leila assumed he was pleased given his reaction, especially with the lilac walls in Claire's study and examining some of her work attached to the cork tiles. "This stuff is pretty good" he said to himself more that to anyone else.  
  
"If only mum could see you now, I'm sure she would welcome you back with open arms if she saw you standing there like that."  
  
"What do you mean by that exactly?" John had asked her.  
  
"Well you and the house seem to harmonize one another, almost like you're one with it."  
  
"Mmm. Maybe. Look Leila, I don't think we should dwell too much on what might happen, your mother might not accept me yet."  
  
"If she doesn't she's a fool," Leila retorted.  
  
"She'll have her reasons, you know. Perhaps we had better get started."  
  
And in little over an hour they had accomplished what they had set out to do. It was now time for John to get changed. Leila showed him where the bathroom was situated and showed him into what had appeared to be Claire's bedroom. Not entirely sure why Leila had put him in there, he placed his suit out on the bed and made his way to the bathroom with his kit to make himself more presentable. After showering and shaving, he made his way back into the bedroom and began to put on his suit. Briefly looking around the room he noticed her dresser and made a beeline for it. Contemplating what to do he decided that he was going to find out exactly what Claire had in her jewellery box. Opening the drawer he immediately recognised the ornate box as the one he had given Brian years before and pulled it out from where it sat. He looked at himself in the mirror and thought 'you gave up being a criminal a long time ago', but it did not deter him. Opening the lid he immediately located the diamond earring, and pushing it to one side was able to pull out the photos that were lying on the bottom. The first few were of the five of them, one at the prom, one at one of Andy's meets, one at the local café they had always met at each week and the final one of them all in the library where they had all first met. Then came the ones of the two of them and he wasn't ready for his reaction to them either. When she had left him she had taken very few possessions with her, and as far as he had been aware she had never taken any photos of them together either, 'she must have had them copied before she went' he thought. The memory of her leaving was hard for him to bear and he remembered painfully that he had thought she had left him because she didn't love him, 'if she had why would she have left all of our photos behind' he had kept telling himself then. But it now became apparent that the reason she had left was not down to not loving him, in fact quite the opposite – she had loved him and still did. Shuffling through the pictures and trying to keep back the tears that welled in his eyes he noticed a piece of paper. Pulling it from the pile he became aware that it was folded and so he opened it up. It was a note addressed to him, and read:  
  
Dear John, I cannot express how much I love you but know this, you may not think at the moment I do but I do, very much and always will. Two weeks ago I found out that I was expecting our baby, I was overjoyed but I have since begun to believe that you don't want anything to do with having a family at the moment. That is fine, I, however, have to accept responsibility for my actions, as I know you would too, but I can't bring a baby into our family knowing that you will not ultimately love them, as perhaps your father had done to you. I'm sorry to do this to you, so very sorry my love, but I must leave and find my own way – please do not try to find me. My love is yours forever. Claire.  
  
John couldn't believe it, why hadn't she left this note for him, why had she simply left a note saying, "I'm sorry" and left without another word. Determined to find out the answer to this one undeniable question, John replaced everything back into the box, and in its turn the box back in the drawer. He finished dressing, left everything in the bedroom as he had found it and made his way downstairs. Leila met him at the bottom "You look good, dad" she said "not that you didn't this morning in you jeans and checked shirt but the suit is a more sophisticated touch, very dashing, mum won't be able to resist." She straightened his tie and questioned him on what he was going to say. What he had been going to say he now believed could come later. If they were ever to get over what had happened all those years ago they had to start the new phase of their relationship on trust, and that meant questioning Claire about the note.  
  
***  
  
Claire, Brian and Allison arrived back at Claire's house just after 2 pm. As she had enjoyed her day with them both tremendously, she had decided to invite both of them back to continue from where they had left off, and after all that had suited Brian and Allison very well – they needed to know what was going to happen with the next phase.  
  
"Is your dad ready?" Andy asked Leila, as he looked out though the front bedroom window.  
  
"Yes" Leila exclaimed, as she looked out the back.  
  
"Okay they've parked up" Andy threw back.  
  
Leila signalled for her dad to start the music, and John noticing the signal from his daughter did exactly that. The soulful croon of Ella Fitzgerald and 'Ev'ry time we say goodbye' swept through the garden and over the house, finding its way to the car parked out front and the occupants that were getting out from it.  
  
"God, someone's got their music on loud around here," Brian said  
  
"Yeah," recognising the song but dubious that it was coming from a neighbour's house. "So come on in, I'll make some tea, and as its nice perhaps we can sit our back."  
  
Brian and Allison agreed and followed her into the house.  
  
"What a lovely place you have here, Claire" Allison said  
  
"It's very nice isn't it, I'm quite envious as Claire got a really good deal with this place." Brain replied following Claire through to the kitchen, "You got a great deal, didn't you?"  
  
It was obvious that Claire wasn't listening as she replied to neither one of them. Putting the kettle on to boil she allowed the words of the song to flow through her mind, she hadn't heard it in such a long time but she still remembered, John used to sing it to her, it had become one of their songs, a secret song, they had never told anybody. Walking over to the cabinet by the back window, she retrieved her teapot. It was then that she became aware that in fact the song was definitely not coming from a neighbour's it was coming from her garden. She proceeded to make her way through the back door and on to the porch, stopping abruptly as she couldn't believe what she saw. In the middle of her lawn a gazebo had been set up and white, cream and pale pink roses had been threaded through the sides and over the roof. Further obscuring her vision were chiffon drapes around each of the sides also. It was exquisite. She realised that the music was coming from that direction and began to walk over to it. As she approached its entrance she had to turn slightly and noticed a figure sitting on one of her garden seats beneath it all. She pulled up, her breath became short and she felt her pulse quicken. She looked over her shoulder and noticed that Leila was standing on the porch, accompanied by Brian, Andrew and Allison, meaning only one thing, John was inside the tent waiting for her.  
  
Her confidence rocked but she pulled it together and entered. John got to his feet and took her hand, leading the way over to another one of her seats, allowing her to seat herself he made his way back to the other chair and retook his position. "Hi" she said, nervously.  
  
"Hi" he replied, so softly that she couldn't believe that this man before her was the same man that had bodily moved her and shouted at her on Sunday evening. 'But then he did always have a fiery temper' she thought, 'perhaps he has learned to manage it better these days.' "How you doin', Claire?" he asked her.  
  
"Fine" she replied taking in the sight of him before her, he was certainly dressed very well, wearing the most remarkable suit she had ever seen, teamed with a crisp white shirt and mauve silk tie. "You?" she enquired.  
  
"Yeah good," hesitating a little before continuing, "I'm sorry about Sunday, I should never have flown of the handle like I did."  
  
"Its okay. If the truth be known then I deserved it, I deserve everything awful you need to dish out my way, I've behaved so badly, its me that should apologise."  
  
"Mmm. Well. I came here today to ask you a question." He was agitated. "I wanted to find out how you felt about me and I realised yesterday when I spoke to Leila that you still loved me, like I still love you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Claire, I can't deny how I feel but I need to know why you left."  
  
"I told you on Sunday."  
  
"No you avoided the question, like you did when we all bullied you about being a virgin remember?"  
  
"Yes" she said quietly.  
  
"Okay, I'll state some facts and you answer yes or no, alright?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You left me because you were pregnant with Leila?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You left me because you didn't love me? Although I think I already know the answer to this one."  
  
"No."  
  
"You left me because you thought that with everything that had happened between me and my father, I wouldn't want to be a father to my child?"  
  
He had hit the nail on the head. With her reaction the way it had been, he knew the truth. She was left to wonder how he had come to that conclusion. "How … did you … know?"  
  
"Lucky guess!"  
  
"I don't believe that" Claire said, her head reeling.  
  
"Leila showed me into you bedroom earlier on so that I had some privacy when I got changed. She had already told me about the box and the drawer, it was just a question of whether I could bring myself to look in it. I'm sorry to say my conscience got the better of me and the next thing I knew I was looking through all of our old photographs. Because you had made copies of all of our photos made me realise that you loved me when you walked out, it was then that I noticed you note, I guess you wrote it before the one you actually left on my dresser. Why couldn't you just have said something, a piece of my heart went missing the day you left and I have never been able to fill it again. I used to keep thinking that if you would only come back to me that it would all be okay. In all the years we were apart I have had very few girlfriends and even fewer physical relations with them. I just couldn't bring myself to do it – I guess I felt like I was being unfaithful or something."  
  
Claire just sat there, bewildered, not knowing what to do or say.  
  
"I came here today to ask you to be mine, to ask you to become my wife once and for all but I can't do that now, I'm sorry, I have to know I trust you and at the moment I don't." He got up from his seat and made his way out of the gazebo, looking across at Leila he could see confusion, she expected him to be happy, but how could he be when he didn't know how to forgive Claire and to begin to trust her. Making his way around the outside of the house he found his car, got in and drove off.  
  
Leila rushed over to the tent and went inside, "Mum? Are you okay?"  
  
"No" Claire wailed, Ella still singing away in her ears " My heart has been broken into a million pieces, I think I might shrivel up and die." 


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 15 – My two mums  
  
Several weeks had passed since the scene in Claire's back garden. It had troubled Leila greatly that her two parents were still going about their daily business and not trying to sort out the differences between them, she had always believed that 'love conquered all', but with Claire and John she wasn't so sure. Daily, she watched Claire torture herself over what she had done, what she hadn't done and what she should have done. She spent as much time with her father as she could before she went off to college and she noticed with him too that he was troubled with the past.  
  
"Why can't these two just pick themselves up, brush themselves off, forgive and forget and fall in love with one another again" she had said to Brian two nights before she was due to leave for college.  
  
"I don't know" she'd heard Brian answer, "Andy, Allison and I all think exactly that, but you can't help people that don't want any help, can you?"  
  
"No, I suppose not" she had replied. And now she was on her way to college feeling alone, knowing that the two people she cared about most in the world were alone as well. 'I only hope they can reconcile on their own' she thought.  
  
***  
  
It was Saturday, one of Claire's favourite days. The spring was gradually turning into summer, and this was usually the time of year that she spent mostly in her garden. And she had told Leila exactly that when she had called her the previous evening. But she had other plans today, today she was going to be spending time with two people she hadn't seen in a long time, her first steps on the road to recovery she had told herself. She felt bad telling another lie to Leila, but then Leila worried about her unnecessarily really, she was only a kid after all and she didn't need to carry both hers and her mothers problems around on her shoulders.  
  
It wasn't long before Claire had reached Shermer and her mother's house. The family house, the one where she and her brother had been brought up and now the one that her mother owned due to the fact that Claire's dad had eventually walked out on her mother when things had got too bad. Parking up, she pulled herself out of her car and stood looking at the front door, she was in two minds what to do – whether to see her mum or to run away, 'I'm not running anymore' she eventually concluded. She made her way to the front; through the flower borders and rose covered fences and pushed the bell. Before long the door was opened and her mum stood before her. 'Here goes nothing' she thought.  
  
"What are you doing here?" her mother said.  
  
"Something I should have done along time ago, I'm making amends, mum."  
  
"And why on earth would you want to do that?"  
  
"Because you need to know I love you" Claire replied, "and you need to know about my life. You need to know that I have a daughter and that I love her father very much."  
  
"I think then, that you had better come in." Her mother walked into the house, nothing had changed, and it was like Claire had stepped into a time warp. "Sit down in the living room Claire, I'll bring us some tea."  
  
Once Claire had finally got her mother to sit down and listen they had spoken for over two hours, telling each other what had happened to them both and discussing what they wanted to do in the future, their experiences, their loves, everything. It was strange, in that short time Claire, and she had thought, her mother, had found each other and realised that neither could no longer live without the other. They had warmed to each other; they were mother and daughter again.  
  
"So, when do I get to see my grand-daughter?"  
  
"When she comes home from college, I guess unless, I can sort something out before then."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Mum, there is only one thing left to tell you, I didn't tell you before because I thought it might stop you and me reconciling."  
  
"So what is it? I'm not such an old dragon that I'm not interested in what you have to say you know, especially if its about Leila's dad."  
  
"Leila's dad."  
  
"You said at the very beginning of our meeting that you loved him, you have neglected to tell me anything more about him, so what gives?"  
  
"Leila's dad is … is … John Bender, mum."  
  
"The criminal huh! Now I know why you didn't tell me straight off. And you love him?"  
  
Claire merely nodded and then said, "he's not a criminal, mum, he's a reporter, has his own column now, at the 'Sun Times'."  
  
"So what's your problem?"  
  
"I lied to him, he doesn't trust me," she said, tears in her eyes. "He only found out about Leila five weeks ago. A week later he wanted to marry me, but he found a letter I had written to him sixteen years ago when I left him." She handed the letter to her mum.  
  
"I take it that you didn't give this to him, then. What did you give as an explanation?"  
  
"When I left all those years ago I wrote another note, it said, "I'm sorry"."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Yes. I didn't say anything, mum; I messed up again. In truth I didn't know what to say or do – I felt like I was dying."  
  
"So what are you going to do?"  
  
"I'm not sure but I was kind of hoping I could enlist your help? Along with John's mum."  
  
"Really, you must have something in mind?"  
  
"All I know is, I need to get my family together, my whole family, including John and his mother – life is just too short to let it pass by idlely. We can't carry on like this anymore. And anyway, I need to put my heart on the line. Whatever I do I have to lay myself open to everything and hope that John can find it in himself to forgive me. In my own way I guess trying to reconcile him and his mum might go part way to regaining his trust and love."  
  
"You have my help, my darling. Lets go see if we can enlist John's mother as well."  
  
***  
  
Making their way through the streets of Shermer, they found the address that John had resided at through most of his adolescent life that was until he and Claire had moved in together. Finally, reaching the house Claire parked up and looked over to the front.  
  
"Looks like there's someone home" her mum said.  
  
"Yes" Claire stated.  
  
"Honey, are you okay?"  
  
"Yes, its just that it looks different, its had a lick of paint and the yard has been tidied up. Maybe his mum doesn't live here anymore."  
  
"Maybe not, but we're not going to find out by sitting here, are we?"  
  
"No, I suppose not" Claire said looking over to her mum. They proceeded to remove themselves from the car and began to walk up to the porch way. Once they had reached the front of the house Claire rang the bell, as she had done previously at her mum's place. A gentleman that Claire didn't recognise answered the door. He was in his late to mid fifties and was smartly dressed. "Yes, can I help you?"  
  
"I'm not sure," Claire began, "I may have the wrong house, I'm looking for an Alicia Bender?"  
  
"Your at the right house," he smiled kindly, "But she is now known as Alicia Richardson, she is my wife."  
  
"Oh, right. You seem like a very nice gentleman, I hope she is happy now."  
  
"Yes, she seems to be happier. Her first husband abused her very badly, but I guess you knew that. Are you here to see her?"  
  
"If it is at all possible, yes please."  
  
"Come in, off the porch, come on," he motioned, "you are?"  
  
"I'm Claire Standish, and this is my mum Rebecca."  
  
"Nice to meet you, I'm Stanley, now let me go find out if she will see you."  
  
Stanley left them to look around the hall as he moved through the house to the back, to where the sitting room had always been. Claire noticed that the décor was different, brighter, and more cheery, in fact the whole house seemed friendlier.  
  
Stanley made his way back, "Claire would you like to go through, I'll make some tea and bring it in for you both" turning to her mother he added, "would you like to join me in the kitchen."  
  
Claire made her way through the hallway to the back, passing pictures and mementos along the way. John's mother had never been big on keeping nostalgia, or perhaps, it had been his dad, it did seem unusual. Perhaps the death of John's father had lifted a veil of the now Richardson household and Alicia had found her compassion again.  
  
"Come in, my dear," Alicia said as she saw a figure near the doorway, "I knew in my heart that I would see you again."  
  
"You remember me?"  
  
"Of course, I would never forget the love of my son's life. How are you, Claire?"  
  
"I'm fine, and you?" she said moving into the room.  
  
"Well, I'm a little deaf in my right ear and I don't see so good with my left eye, but I have a good man to look after me. Claire, please come closer," she said as she motioned for Claire to take a seat in front of her. Claire did as she was bid and the older woman moved closer to her face. Taking Claire's chin in her hand she asked "What is it, my child? What has my Johnny done to you?" half expecting Claire to show her a bruise or broken rib.  
  
"Nothing, he's never ever raised a hand to me if that's what you mean. No the only thing he's done is tell me of his undying love for me, offer to make me his wife and then walk out on me."  
  
"And what exactly did you do to deserve that?" Alicia asked, astutely.  
  
Claire proceeded to pour her heart out, tears splashing down over her face and over Alicia's knee where Claire was now resting her head. Alicia was so caring, it was a side of her that Claire had never seen and was sure John hadn't either, but Alicia said the right things at the right times and remarked at how beautiful Leila was when she saw her picture. They had chatted for what seemed to be forever, tea and biscuits being brought to them by Stan as and when he felt like they needed them.  
  
"So what do you need from me, Claire?" Alicia finally asked.  
  
"Well I was kind of hoping that if I could get you and John to see one another and bridge the gap between your differences, then maybe you could help to reunite us. God, that sounds so selfish. I'm sorry."  
  
"Love is a very interesting emotion isn't it, it may sound selfish Claire but you have good reason. You love my son and I know my son loves you. I have spent many nights sitting here watching the lawn, wondering where my son is and what he is doing. I'm so very sorry for things I said to him when he was growing up but I thought that his dad was the be all and end all. Obviously, I now know what it is to have true love, I acted the way I did back then because I thought what I had then was love, but I was so very wrong. Losing John's dad was a bitter blow, it hurt like hell and when I first met Stanley I wasn't sure what was going on. There was such a contrast between the two, and then I thought that eventually Stanley would go the same way and I shied away from marrying him for many years, only to find that there is no truer man. I sometimes wish that I had met Stanley when I was eighteen; at least John would have been brought up better, although Stan can't have any children so we would never have had him, which I would regret. I am just so glad that you have come here today."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because it now means that I have the opportunity to meet my son again and start afresh, thank you. And I, in turn, will do whatever I can to help you too."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Claire and her mother stayed a little while longer chatting to Alicia and Stanley, and it was good. She felt like everything was slowly beginning to come together. Dropping her mother back to her house, Rebecca said, "So how do you feel? Now that you have spoken to Alicia."  
  
"Like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders."  
  
"Good, I'm glad you came over today and I shall be happier still when I see this family reunited."  
  
"Yes, mum, I only hope its soon" Claire replied thinking 'I don't think I can wait much longer, myself.'  
  
They said there goodbyes and Claire was on her way home. 'A very productive day' she thought. 


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 16 – Mother & Son  
  
John Bender strode into the offices to be greeted by his boss, "John, you know this Allison Clarke woman, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, sure, I was at school with her. What's she up to?"  
  
"She and her partner are having an exhibition and I want you to get down there to check it out. Okay?"  
  
"Yeah … Okay," he said, unsure whether he wanted to go or not. 'Guess I gotta get another "failed start, again" meeting with Claire over and done with,' he thought.  
  
"Oh and by the way," his boss said with his back towards him and walking back to his office "there's a woman waiting for you in the conference room."  
  
'A woman,' his mind continued, 'maybe my luck is changing.'  
  
He strode over to his desk first and quickly scanned through the messages that had been left there by his assistant, nothing that couldn't wait. Making his way back across the landing to where the conference room was situated. He wasn't quite ready for the shock that hit him when he opened the door and walked into the room. There before him was a grey haired woman in her mid fifties looking at the framed articles positioned around the walls. She was reading the only one in the room that was his, and she seemed to be far away as if she hadn't heard him enter the room.  
  
"Mum?" he heard himself say.  
  
She started, but slowly turned to face him. He had scared her unintentionally. "Yes, John," she replied, "it's me. I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in I'm a little deaf, your father …"  
  
"No, don't even go there, don't excuse him for what he did to you or me. What are you doing here? To be honest … I never thought I would see you again."  
  
"Nor did I, and I wasn't defending your father. When he died and I began to live I realised I hated him, and when I … well I realised he didn't love me, how could he hitting on me like he did. And you. I feel so guilty that I got you involved with him, I should have followed your grandparents advice and left him long ago … but I loved him, I thought I did, I know now I was scared of him. I needed to come and find you, to let you know."  
  
"So why then, has it taken you so long to come find me?"  
  
"I honestly didn't know where you were and I regret the day I turned my back on you, ever since then I have seen you … in my dreams, in my visions, everywhere, … I guess I thought I would see you again but I just didn't know where to start looking. Until that was … I read this report." She opened up the newspaper that had been folded under her arm. Placing it down on the table John realised that she had left the paper open on his first ever story, the one about Shermer High. "It's taken me this long to get the guts to walk into your office. I love you son, I'm just sorry it took me a long time to realise how much. You make me very proud."  
  
"Mum, I …" John struggled to find the words he wanted to say, instead he made the two paces he needed to get to his mum and hugged her, and she hugged back. In all of his life, apart from those intimate moments he had shared with Claire and the meetings with Leila, this was the first time that he had ever felt truer love, from anyone. "I love you, mum. I'm sorry I went off the way I did all those years ago but I truly didn't think you wanted to know me anymore."  
  
"I know … I'm sorry," Alicia said through her snivels, tears falling from her eyes like raindrops. "I'm so very sorry for everything I did and, retrospectively, didn't do for you. I love you son."  
  
They must have stood there for at least quarter of an hour, hugging each other and crying, mother and son reunited. And when they both felt it was right they pulled apart.  
  
"Mum, would you like to join me for dinner? I've got an exhibition to go to later and maybe you would like to come and meet my friends then."  
  
"John, I'd love to, and dinner is most definitely on me."  
  
"Nah, I can get it on the company, we can go somewhere real nice, what do you say?"  
  
"Okay, but you must come over for dinner at the weekend and meet Stanley."  
  
"Stanley? Mum, what's this … new fella?"  
  
"I never questioned you over your girlfriends, don't question me over my husbands."  
  
"Husband? It gets better."  
  
"Put the reporters cap away else I won't talk."  
  
"Pretty Please!" he said, a sly grin appearing across his face in true Bender style.  
  
"Now there's the smile I've missed for so long," she replied, pinching his cheek playfully, "Okay, as you asked so nicely. Take me to lunch and I'll spill the beans." And so John did just that, he took his mum to probably the fanciest restaurant she had ever been to in her life and she told him everything, everything about what she had done since his fathers death. When she had met Stanley, when she realised that she was in love with the most decent of men, and when they had married. The only thing that she had regretted about the whole thing was that John hadn't been there at any moment to enjoy any of his mother's new found happiness.  
  
When lunch was finished up they walked the short distance from the restaurant to where John had his house. Alicia was in awe, such a wonderful house and lovely area that her son had picked out for himself. Making her way into the house she was met by a distinctly male environment but it was friendly and there were even a few hints of femininity; maybe Claire had rubbed off on him a little. John motioned for her to go into the front room, which she did and found a comfortable perch on the window seat positioned in the bay window.  
  
Rusty, noticing the potential new friend, picked himself up from his usual spot by the front door and padded through the house to where Alicia was sat. Sitting down he raised his paw, which she took and shook, using her other hand to stroke his head. He was right, she was a new friend. He hoped he would see her again. Noticing John walking into the room and setting down a tray on the coffee table, he laid down at Alicia's feet to pretend that he hadn't been bothering her.  
  
"Has Rusty been a nuisance?" John asked.  
  
"Not at all, I'm surprised to see such a mild mannered dog, he obviously doesn't take after his owner."  
  
"Just because I used to have a temper like a cat on hot coals before, doesn't mean I have now," John answered, handing his mother one of the two hot cups of coffee he was holding and taking the vacant seat next to her. "I've managed to calm down a bit, spending most of my time on my own has taught me a few things and having Rusty close by has helped."  
  
"How long have you had him?"  
  
"Six years, when I got him he was only a puppy. It felt good to train him and see what I could achieve if I only put my mind to it. That's when things started to really turn around for me. I was already working at the paper, doing all the odd jobs that no-one else wanted to do, then I had a fit of inspiration and read one of the new books that had arrived on the top thirty bestsellers list. It was a bit of a comical thriller, not bad really but the guy who had been asked to review it did a really bad job. I saw my opportunity, wrote down what I thought and handed it to the editor. He loved it so much that he gave me a couple more to do, then a few more and again more. Then I got the chance to have my own column, which I took immediately, and due to that I haven't looked back since. Before I left the 'Tribune' I had my own team and I reviewed everything from books to music to theatre to film, every medium. Then I got a shot at writing an article, well I asked for it and I was given the chance. The people at the 'Sun Times' must have liked it though as they tracked me down and offered me a better job, which as you are aware, I took."  
  
"I am so proud of you, John. I always knew you were destined for something better than what you had been brought into. I'm glad you've found your place."  
  
"Mum, can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
"How did you know where to find me? That newspaper you placed on the table was a 'Tribune', how did you know to look for me at the 'Sun Times'?"  
  
"Ever the detective! A friend of mine had been keeping the papers that her son used to bring home with him," she lied, "and apparently he once said that he couldn't believe John Bender, the criminal, could have a proper job. She read what you had written and was amazed. She didn't say anything to start with though. It wasn't until she saw your picture displayed with an article of yours that she came over and saw me. That was when I found out where you were, well at least knew who you worked for."  
  
'Nice lie' he thought, there was no way any of her friends would read this kind of paper – of that he was sure, and if she knew all of his stories then why be reading the one in the conference room at work, things didn't add up. He also knew that none of his articles had ever shown his picture, she was covering up for someone but he couldn't work out who. Mind you, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, and lose her again – 'I'll play along for the moment,' he concluded.  
  
They continued to talk and drink coffee for the rest of the afternoon until it was time to get ready for the exhibition. John went upstairs to get changed whilst his mum pottered around clearing the dirty cups away, cleaning the same, letting Stanley know where she was and being increasingly happy with Stan's reaction to dinner on Sunday – he had loved the idea, he really wanted to get to know his step-son and perhaps be the father figure for him that his own father had never been.  
  
Returning downstairs, John found his mum looking at the snow scene card that he had received those few short months ago. She looked so happy, his father had never made her look that way, and he knew it was down to Stanley. He had heard part of the conversation that Alicia was having with Stanley over the telephone, bless her, she obviously couldn't hear too much and spoke more loudly these days to try to compensate. Stanley seemed to be worthy and John couldn't wait to meet him.  
  
"The exhibition we're going to tonight, mum, it's the same lady that drew that picture, and painted the picture I have hanging in the front room."  
  
"I think I am going to enjoy this evening, if those two pieces of her work are anything to go by. You will introduce to your friends won't you?"  
  
"Of course, what did you think I was going to do, leave you high and dry as soon as we got there so that you and I wouldn't enjoy ourselves."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Alicia asked.  
  
"Nothing, just shooting my mouth off."  
  
"No, you meant something, I know you don't forget, you don't just shoot your mouth off."  
  
"It's just that Claire will probably be there"  
  
"Claire?"  
  
"You must remember Claire, the girl I left home for who proceeded to leave me in due course and …" he stopped abruptly.  
  
"And?"  
  
"Mum, we have this amazing daughter. I only met Leila recently but she is the most wonderful person, so bright and funny. I am so proud of her."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But Claire and I, we … she walked out on me sixteen years ago, I loved her then … I still do, in my own way, but we can never be together."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I can't trust her," John said, the sparkle leaving his eye momentarily whilst Alicia looked on. "She wrote me a note which she intended to give me, a note I probably would have been able to take on board, I could have found her, made her understand, that nothing she was saying mattered to me. I would have laid down my life for her then, taken on my responsibility, but she obviously didn't think I could manage, and felt I would end up like dad."  
  
"People do strange things, John, for very strange reasons. I still can't explain why your dad did do some of the things that he did, like that cigar burn on your arm for instance and that wasn't because of love; but I think Claire saw what may of happened instead of thinking about what you could have had together with each other's love and understanding. I never saw you more relaxed and subdued as I ever did when you and Claire were together. You were a different person when you were with her and I know you would have doted on Leila as she was growing up, anyone seeing the way you just talked about her would know that. John, you may have your fathers temper, but I know you would never do anything to hurt anyone your heart is too good. You need to focus on now though and leave the past behind. "  
  
"Thanks, mum, that means so much coming from you. I'm so glad you decided to walk into the offices this morning."  
  
"So am I," she replied, reaching over for a hug, "so am I." 


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 17 – Suspicions  
  
Andy wandered aimlessly through the exhibition, it was a good job that most of it was Allison's work otherwise he would have been out of there, probably wouldn't even have been there at all. It wasn't like he didn't understand what she did, well okay, he didn't really understand what she did, and some off her work was very offbeat. The section he has walking through right now in fact, but he had to admit, her landscapes where absolutely exceptional. Thinking back, he remembered when he used to lie on their bed watching her paint, it really calmed him, especially if he had just been at a tough meet. The way she moved the brush and swirled the paint over the canvas soothed him, and sometimes even got him hot. He could recall many occasions when her painting would cause stirrings down below and when he could take it no longer he just had to have her, anyway he could; the paint had then only acted as another part of their love making.  
  
"I do hope, by the expression on your face Andrew Clarke, that your not thinking about what I think you are thinking?" he heard Allison whisper into his ear.  
  
"And if I was!" he remarked.  
  
"Then we are going to have to wait until later," she exclaimed, adding more softly, "because I don't think the kind of antics your thinking about would impress very many people here."  
  
"Oh really, are you sure?"  
  
"Yes," she said seriously, but then upon catching his eye she started to laugh. "I love you, Andrew," leaning in for one of their kisses.  
  
"I love you right back" he replied, and responding to her body language he kissed her back. "So is this thing due to start anytime soon? I don't know how much longer my stomach will hold out."  
  
"Always thinking about food, aren't you?" she teased. "We've got a few minutes to go. How do I look?"  
  
"You look outstanding, so beautiful. You know, you never cease to amaze me, I think you grow more and more beautiful to me everyday."  
  
"Really?" she asked.  
  
"Yes" he simply said and took her into his arms for an embrace so gentle and loving that Allison knew Andrew had meant every word he had said.  
  
"Thank you," she replied.  
  
"Are you two still at it?" a voice exclaimed from a few paces away from where they stood together.  
  
"Well, you know, John, when the fires of passion still burn deeply for the woman you love you have to show her exactly how much at every opportunity you can get. You never know who is around the corner wanting to take your place."  
  
"So that's your philosophy on the subject, Andy, and Allison was it as beautiful for you as it was for me?" John simpered.  
  
"Oh more so," she said as she removed herself from Andy's grasp and accepted a small hug and kiss on the cheek from John.  
  
John proceeded to shake Andy's hand and then introduce his mother to the pair. They seemed to be surprised, but happy that John and Alicia had made up their differences. Andy asked Alicia if he could take her around the gallery, which left John time to interview Allison and her partner about the exhibition and where they both thought their business was heading, the whole topic being sewn up in about half an hour. Once over, Allison took John by the arm and walked with him to the far end of the gallery, to where her landscapes where being exhibited.  
  
"So what's new?" Allison asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" John replied, "do you mean with mum and me?"  
  
"Well, yes, kind of. I have these ideas spinning around in my head and some of them come true sometimes. I must admit I did think you would stay orphan-like, so to speak. But I love your mum, she's so pleasant and polite, not anything like you ever described her before."  
  
"Yeah, well she met this new guy after dad died, and I guess, he must have had more than a little influence on her. So much so, in fact, that she wanted to come find me and make amends."  
  
"There's something not quite right though is there?"  
  
"Oh Allison, ever the intuitive! You seem to be able to realise situations before they appear before anyone else. You're right though, she's covering something or someone up."  
  
"What are you saying? That she has lied to you?"  
  
"Pretty much, you can't lie to a liar after all, can you! She told me this story about how she went about finding me from my stories in the paper, a few things didn't ring true."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Like she said one of her friends had told her about my articles, I'm damn sure the friends that she would keep would never read the newspapers I have written for, and then she said that she realised it was me for definite when she saw my photo against one of the stories. There is no way that would have happened, the paper has never done that, I have kept all of my stories so I know they haven't."  
  
"But why would she lie?"  
  
"I don't know, guilty conscience, maybe! Or she's protecting someone."  
  
"Yeah, right. Like who exactly!"  
  
John recognised the perfume immediately as it wafted into his nostrils and made its way into his psyche. "Like Claire" he replied.  
  
***  
  
Claire had offered to pick up Brian and Becky on her way to the exhibition and now the three of them were sat in her car waiting for the lights to change to green.  
  
"Claire, there's something that the two of us have been meaning to ask you?" Brian said nervously, "We'd like to hear your reaction about something?"  
  
"Is it something that I should park up for or am I safe to keep on driving?" Claire said, recognising the tone of the question Brian had asked.  
  
"I think you'd best pull over" he replied.  
  
Finding a suitable place to stop the car, Claire engaged the handbrake, selected neutral and switched off the engine. "So?" she enquired.  
  
"As you may or may not be aware," Brian started, "Becky and I are very much in love, so much so that we have decided to get married, we don't want to wait too long, we're hoping to hold it in three weeks actually."  
  
"What?" Claire exclaimed, "married?" Her first reaction was shock; after all they hadn't been going out together for very long, and much less moved in with each other. But remembering to conversations she had had with both of them they seemed to have found their soul mate in the other one, so why the hell shouldn't they. Her frown quickly turned to a wide grin. She shrieked and reaching over she grabbed hold of Brian for a hug. Pulling back she continued "That is so great, I'm so happy for you both. So what do you need from me?"  
  
"A couple of things, if you don't mind" Brian said.  
  
It was now Becky's time to ask "I would love it if you would design my wedding dress, I mean I know you design for kids right, but it would be so special to have a Claire Standish original. I'd also like you to design the bridesmaid's dress as well."  
  
"And we would like you to be our one and only bridesmaid." Brian continued.  
  
"Really," Claire couldn't believe what was happening.  
  
"Yes, really, we've thought about this long and hard, in fact we've been up all night nearly trying to decide what we really wanted and what better honour is there for us but to have our two best friends standing up with us. Besides, we thought you could use this situation to your advantage."  
  
"Whoa, wait, hold on! What do you mean 'two best friends'?" Claire asked.  
  
"I want to ask John to be my grooms man." Brian said.  
  
"Wait, for a minute there I thought I just heard you say you want John to stand up with you."  
  
"I did!"  
  
"No, I'm sorry, it's absolutely out of the question. Becky, Brian I have no problem designing the dresses, etc, whatever you need me to do there, but I can't stand there on one side of you both with him on the other."  
  
"Well, we would like you to make a speech," Becky said.  
  
"Yes, and you did say that you wanted to lay down your life for him, what better way than to do your duty for us and turn the speech into something for yourself. Why not use the position we are offering you to gain an advantage over him and win him back." Brain added.  
  
"I see," Claire began, "so maybe I say something in my speech to win him over?" She looked at Brian and in turn Becky. Both were nodding at her like crazed sick loonies. "Okay," she said, her smile beaming again, "I'll do it, thank you – thank you for asking me. Now if it's alright with you then I think we better be on our way to this exhibition."  
  
***  
  
Making it through the streets of the city, Claire managed to gain some time after the short interlude that she had experienced only a little while before. Looking over at Brian she could tell he was so happy, the woman that sat in the back seat was so good for him, Claire was only sorry that it had taken them a little while to find one another, but hey, things like that always happen to good people, she concluded; secretly hoping that she hadn't been so bad that she would never find true happiness and be totally overlooked forevermore.  
  
The three of them reached the gallery and made their way through the entrance to be met by Allison's partner. Deciding that they were here to support Ally she gave them the directions to where exactly she thought she might be, and they continued their journey, seeking her out. They picked up Andy, who was sitting happily by the food, and made their way through to the back.  
  
Nearly at their journey's end, Claire heard the dulcet tones that where unmistakable to her and rounding the corner she immediately made eye contact with the man that she was not quite ready to see. Her heart skipped a beat, her palms began to sweat and she felt her cheeks flush but she tried so hard to contain herself. His eyes were on her the whole time noticing everything, and then she saw his mother. Now she panicked, she knew that Alicia's intention was to see John that day but she had no idea that she would be coming to the exhibition. Introductions were being made, Claire watched the scene unfold before her and then it was her turn, she guarded her responses and met John mechanically, like two fighters stepping out in the ring. He started to re-introduce her to his mother and when she went to shake Alicia's hand she noticed that her own was quivering uncontrollably, if John had any inkling that the two where very recent acquaintances, it would be now that he would know for definite and would this then cause another argument between them. She hoped not. She knew that if that where to happen there would not be any hope left for them, not until she had had her say, anyway and that would be another three weeks away. It wasn't until she heard Brian speak, however, that she felt safe again. And noticing John's attention had been taken from her she shot Alicia a quick smile and moved away to a safe distance, Alicia returning the favour also.  
  
"So guys, now we are all together again, Becky and I have announcement to make." Brian directed a look towards Claire to see if she was okay. Noticing that she was, he continued, "we are engaged, got engaged last week actually, and we are getting married in three weeks, we hope you will all be able to join us celebrate are union."  
  
"Isn't it a bit soon, Brian?" Allison asked.  
  
"I thought that," Claire piped up, "but knowing what these two actually feel for one another I think they are doing the right thing."  
  
"Well done, man!" Andy said.  
  
"Well we've got jobs for you all too, if you'd like" Brian continued, "Andy we thought you might like to be one of the ushers, with Becky's brother."  
  
"Sure, no problem, I'd love to."  
  
"And Allison, we'd love it if you could paint something for us, we were kind of hoping to have some kind of lovely backdrop behind where the vicar would be standing." Becky said.  
  
"Thank you, three weeks isn't long but if you let me know what kind of thing you want then I'll see what I can do for you."  
  
"Which leaves me and Claire," John said.  
  
"We've already asked Claire if she will design the dresses" Brian said, leaving out the part about being bridesmaid, "to which she has accepted, which leaves you, John. I would be honoured if you would be my grooms man."  
  
"Are you serious?" John questioned.  
  
"Deadly, only don't get me too drunk on my stag night, please. Oh, and nothing too rude in the speech okay, my mum is going to be there, remember."  
  
"You got it. Thanks man." John said shaking his hand. Brian thought at that precise moment if John weren't quite so level headed he would have literally burst open from the sheer happiness that seemed to resonate from him. He also never believed that John would have accepted so readily before now, but wonders never ceased to amaze him where John was concerned.  
  
At that instant a waiter arrived and they all took a glass of champagne each. John led the toast "to Brian and Becky. Becky, I do hope you know what you're taking on and Brian don't mess this one up; you two were made for each other. May you both have every happiness for the rest of your long lives together and may there be lots of tiny feet running around in the not too distant future."  
  
'A touching speech' Claire thought, watching John, 'I only hope it's us next'. John, noticing Claire's gaze, smiled and inclined his glass toward her, she responded by repeating the gesture.  
  
"To Brian and Becky" the others said in unison. 


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 18 – Wedding Day ~ part one  
  
After much hard work and effort on the part of every member of both Brian and Becky's respective families and the remaining members of 'The Breakfast Club' the wedding day had finally arrived. The ballroom looked absolutely wonderful, initially set out for the ceremony, with Allison's bright airy landscape holding centre stage. The scene, that she had expertly depicted, were that of a summer's bright sky with patches of bright royal blue seeking spots through the swirling clouds which had been painted using subtle hues of lilac, pink, beige, cream and baby blue. It had taken a lot of work considering its size; a massive twelve-foot square canvas consisting of four pieces, but once situated Allison was very pleased with the result. And as an added token, she had given it to the happy couple as a wedding present from Andy and herself.  
  
The guest chairs were arranged in two sections, each covered in ivory silk with a dark lilac bow tied around its back. A stage was set before the painting, ready for the couple to take their vows upon. This too was draped in ivory silk and on each side tall Greek urns stood containing stems of chrysanthemums, iris, carnations and roses in varying colours of lilac and blue along with a considerable helping of ivy and other greenery. Smaller flower filled urns were placed along the outer edges of the chair rows to complete the effect.  
  
It had been Andy and John's duty to try to keep Brian cool and up until now, they hadn't done a bad job. They, along with Becky's brother, had gone to the tailor's with him to make sure that all of the respective morning suits were going to fit properly. All were in charcoal grey pinstripe, the two ushers and John having a dark lilac long waistcoat, which was visible under their jackets. Brian, however, had a jacket made from the same material as the others waistcoats, and his own waistcoat was a shade or so lighter. The three 'club' members couldn't believe how good each of them looked but, true to form, one couldn't help making fun of the other two. And when Allison had popped in briefly to see the outcome, she was totally amazed; she would never have believed it possible for them all to look so devastatingly handsome.  
  
Claire had spent most of her time designing, and with the aid of Jenna, her partner, fitting Becky's dress as well as her own. Becky's dress was a princess line, full-length sheath dress with a small train that floated out from the back. It was made from ivory silk with a helping of matching organza covering the skirt, and the top of the bodice had been sewn with small lilac and silver beads forming small flowers and butterflies. The top of the bodice was finished with a very small edge of the same dark lilac of Claire's dress and spaghetti string straps finished the look. Becky had wanted a more contemporary look so the outfit had been finished with ivory elbow length gloves, pearl drop earrings, Louis-heeled shoes and a tiara headdress formed using silver wires and finished with small pearls and glass beads, matching those on the bodice of her dress.  
  
Claire had made herself a simple two-piece from the deep lilac silk, the strappy top being covered in organza in a matching shade. The suit fitted in much the same way as Becky's dress but was very understated. Mind you she looked great in it. Her look was completed with matching elbow length gloves and flat shoes, a few fresh flowers for her hair and amethyst stud earrings.  
  
Of course, Allison had had to come and have a look at them both, as she had done with the men, and was delighted to see what Claire had achieved in such a short time. Allison had become more intrigued since she had learnt about Claire being the bridesmaid and once she had seen them both in their relevant attire she couldn't help but say, "My god, Becky, if that doesn't knock Brian off his feet then nothing will, and you missy," looking directly at Claire, "what do you think John is going to do, with you looking like that it will probably give him a coronary."  
  
"Right" Claire had replied, "after all, neither one of us has got to get past this trust bit do we?"  
  
"But with everything that's going to happen during the day and then with your speech later on, he will have no option but to take you back. Besides, if he doesn't he will have me to deal with."  
  
"And me" Becky had said.  
  
"And me" a small voice had said from the back, "mum, you look absolutely breathtaking."  
  
"Thanks, Leila. Come here honey, I've missed you." Claire said as she opened her arms for an embrace with her daughter.  
  
"Not as much as I've missed you, but I'm glad to be back and glad to see Brian is finally getting hitched, never thought it would happen myself" pulling away from Claire, Leila turned to face Becky, "Hi, I'm Leila. So are you ready for a fate worse than death, Becky?"  
  
"Hi Leila. Is it really going to be that bad?" Becky said, laughing. "Am I worthy of such a man?"  
  
"Your worthy, but is he?" Leila responded playfully.  
  
"I think so," Becky said "I've never felt this way about anybody."  
  
"Then, if that is truly the case, you are going to be very happy" Allison said "after all, that's exactly the same way I feel about Andy, even now."  
  
And now the day had finally arrived. Brian and John headed out of their small room and made their way through the congregation to their respective seats at the front, ready and waiting for the ceremony to begin.  
  
"Are you okay, Brian?"  
  
"Yeah fine, you got the rings?"  
  
"Yes … will you stop worrying about the rings … look their here okay."  
  
"Okay, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, been looking around and I can't see Claire, Leila is sitting a couple of rows back with Allison and the kids, but no Claire, surely she's not going to miss your big day?"  
  
"She promised me she would be here, she may have lied to me and you, but she has never broken a promise, believe me. Anyway, why are you so interested?"  
  
"I don't know … I guess this whole wedding thing has got me thinking about things again. I've been horrible to her, what she did to me was wrong but then I should never have told her I couldn't trust her again, she probably hates me."  
  
"She doesn't hate you. In fact, I think she loves you more, when you said those things to her, she … well she felt like her whole world fell apart, but its only acted to make her stronger and more resolved in getting you back. How do you think your mum knew where you were? She even made up with her own mum too."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really. You still love her then?"  
  
"More than anything."  
  
"Then today should be a good day all round."  
  
"What do you mean by that, Brian?"  
  
"You'll see, John, you'll see!" Brian said. The music slightly drowning out his remark as the band started to play. Getting up they both moved to their positions on the stage and looked over their own shoulder at the display that was progressing towards them. It seemed normal, at first, but then John realised something, the woman walking in front of the bride was stunning – and it was Claire.  
  
***  
  
Becky and Claire had spent a good two hours getting ready, the hairdresser and make-up artist had finished their work and Allison had helped with finishing touches before they had all taken their seats in the congregation. Looking each other up and down Becky and Claire had given appreciative signs to the other to reassure them that they looked okay. In five minutes they would be walking to their respective fates. Andy had popped his head around the door to make sure that everything was going well and had remarked that they both had looked gorgeous, which had help to calm nerves for a little while, and again when Becky's father had come into the room to find his daughter and escort her safely down the aisle. Finally, the vicar came into the room and suggested that they get the ceremony underway.  
  
"Are you nervous?" Claire asked Becky as she handed her her bouquet.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm not nervous or anything. I'm really enjoying myself."  
  
"Good" Claire said, finding her own much smaller bouquet.  
  
"What about you, Claire?"  
  
"Oh, I'm fine … not. My insides are churning, like I'm going into battle, or something."  
  
"Well, this might not be very comforting, but in a way I guess you are."  
  
"Yeah, well don't worry I know what my responsibility is to you and Brian, I won't mess that up."  
  
"Claire, you won't mess anything up. I have a good feeling about today … the whole of today." Becky said taking Claire's hand in her own and squeezing it.  
  
"Thank you, Becky."  
  
"My pleasure. Now I think its time for me to become a married woman, dad are you ready?"  
  
Becky stood at the entrance of the ballroom arm in arm with her father, Claire standing in front, nervously fidgeting. The music began and they slowly made their way to the stage. Becky noticed Brian looking at her, transfixed. And then she saw John's look of astonishment, which meant that if she had seen it then most certainly everyone else in the room would have seen it too, she returned her gaze to her husband to be.  
  
Claire preceded the bride and her father towards the stage, noticing the looks of wonder and approval at the assembly making its way forward. Giving herself an imaginary pat on the back for her good work, she looked up to where Brian and John were standing. She bypassed the look on Brian's face, he was obviously in awe of his bride, but when she saw John's face she couldn't believe what was upon it. He looked like he was about to keel over any minute, like Allison had suggested, his eyes were wide and his mouth was open. If his jaw hadn't been locked at that moment she was sure his chin would have been touching the floor.  
  
By this time, they were nearly at their place and to hide her embarrassment of John's obvious intent look, she gave him a quick smile to hopefully try and snap him out of it. It worked for about two seconds, the two seconds it took him to smile back and then he was staring again. She was able to remove herself from his gaze, for a while, when she relieved Becky of her bouquet and sat down in her appointed seat. Only to have it return again when John had finished his duty as best man, giving up the two rings from within his waistcoat pocket and finding his seat on the opposite side of the congregation from her.  
  
And unfortunately, for both of them, none of this had been lost on Allison, Andrew or Leila. 


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r  
  
Chapter 19 – Wedding Day ~ part two  
  
The wedding party were now seated at the top table, and still John couldn't keep his eyes from straying to the other end where Claire was sitting. It had been a little while since he had first laid eyes on her as she had strolled down the make shift aisle that had now made way for tables and a dance floor, the band patiently waiting for their cue to start playing again. Once the ceremony had ended John and Claire had walked out arm in arm, had had their pictures taken for a constant forty minutes and waited patiently in line meeting and greeting all of the guests that had attended up until now. But in all of that time he hadn't actually had the chance to speak to Claire and tell her how dazzling she looked. It also looked like that wasn't going to happen soon either; they now had the speeches to get through.  
  
Looking around the room in seek of reassurance, he found it in his mother and Stanley – after all Brian had wanted them to be here; noticing his gaze upon them they looked at one another and then back at him. It gave him the strength he needed. Then he looked around their table to who they were sitting with, wasn't that Claire's mum? Considering Leila was sat between the two mums he guessed it had to be, he couldn't remember her very well from their first meeting all those years before, but she and Claire had the same appearance. Tall, strong-willed, confident women with natural beauty, the same qualities he now saw in his daughter as well.  
  
The speeches started with Brian and Becky thanking everyone for coming and those that had helped for their hard work. Next came Becky's father, welcoming Brian into his family and toasting her as the bridesmaid. And now it was John's turn, he had always had an idea of what he wanted to say but now was uncertain and nervous, Claire's eyes were boring into his soul making him totally uneasy.  
  
"When I first met Brian, a Saturday detention at Shermer High, I couldn't believe what a 'neo-maxi-zoom-dweebie' he really was, or what the other guys were like either," all the other members of the club looked at one another smiling. "Thing was, by the end of the day we were all the greatest of friends. And Bri, well he and I had an understanding. A kinship. Needless to say with the help and encouragement he gave me and the fact that he blew his ceramic elephant light up when the flare gun went off in his locker, I helped him pass shop, his carved jewellery box would have won 'best in show'." Brian blushed. "It was a shame that about sixteen years ago I lost contact with him, and if it hadn't been for Allison and Andy Clarke then I probably wouldn't be standing here right now either. Since March I have once again found my friends and found a daughter I never knew I had, and through it all Brian has been the rock, a quality that has no doubt been placed upon him through no fault of his own but he really has been a true friend to me and I know I will be able to count on him at any time in my life. So instead of the traditional bad jokes and unwarranted story telling that generally goes on in a groomsman's speech I instead would like to raise a glass to one of the very best of men. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Brian and his lovely bride, Becky."  
  
"Brian and Becky" a resounding chorus rang out around the ballroom.  
  
Brian stood up, totally dumbstruck. He managed to say a quick thank you before shaking hands with John. John sat down, realising that this would all be over soon and he would have his chance to speak to Claire.  
  
"As this isn't a strictly traditional wedding, we have another speech. Please allow our great friend and bridesmaid Claire to say a few words." Brian said, and motioned for Claire to stand and start talking.  
  
"As John was saying, I have also known Brian for a long time and there could be no better friend than him, or his new bride, Becky, who I have found to be one of the most remarkable individuals I have ever met. I don't believe two people have ever been so right for each other than this happy couple that have become man and wife today." Clearing her throat, she continued "Although I have lied to Brian in the past, he has always stood by me and one of the reasons I stand here today is to say sorry for what I have done and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to do what I am about to do. Most of you in this room don't know who I am, or what I have done but I needed this time today to say something I should have said a long long time ago. Brian and Becky know what this situation is, as do my friends Allison and Andy Clarke, my mother, my daughter, and Alicia and Stanley Richardson."  
  
John looked up as soon as Claire had said his mother's name; she now had his undivided attention.  
  
Claire carried on, "I did something that was totally unforgivable, but most of the people I have hurt have forgiven me, I've been able to reconcile with my mother and have helped Alicia find her son."  
  
'So it was Claire, mum was covering up for, why? What on earth does she think she is doing?' rapid thoughts paced through John's mind as he continued to listen to what Claire was saying.  
  
"But none of this truly matters, it only adds to the upset I have caused and allowed me to avoid the love I should have had from the moment I ran away from it." Tears were now welling up in her eyes as she started to cry. "I loved, lost and now love again a man that I should never have hurt so many years ago, I now ask for his forgiveness." She found herself walking towards the other end of the table and stopped behind John, watching his face as he turned it toward her. She continued "My life has always been incomplete and I really can't imagine going on the same way alone, for much longer. John, I love you so very much. Will you marry me?"  
  
John was shocked, the gathering looked on in suspense. 'Did she just ask me to marry her' he thought. Getting to his feet he took her hands in his own, his brow furrowed from the confusion of what had just taken place. On taking her hands, Claire's face seemed to lose the worry that had been apparent, only to be replaced by something much more unique to her, the love and understanding she had always shown him when they had been together alone. Bringing both of her hands in turn to his lips he lightly caressed each one. Returning his gaze to her face he smiled, the first smile of their new life collectively. "Yes" he simply said and pulled her into an embrace that seemed to last forever. The crowd erupted around them, cheering and clapping.  
  
Brian stood, deciding that he needed to say something in order for the continuance of the proceedings. "Thank god," he said "please, everyone, put your glasses together for two people that shouldn't have spent a day apart from one another, let alone sixteen years, to Claire and John."  
  
"To Claire and John," everyone exclaimed.  
  
"And if the band would like to start then I think that along with the tradition of my wife and I dancing our first dance together, it should be extended on this occasion to include my groomsman and his fiancée."  
  
The band started to play and the female vocalist began to sing harmoniously. It was a Celine Dion number entitled "That's the way it is" which on the surface seemed very apt for both couples that where now dancing along to the tune.  
  
Claire and John had never felt so caught up in each other as the moved around the dance floor, 'almost skill-fully' John thought to himself, not really believing he had rhythm.  
  
"Did I mention how breathtakingly beautiful you look today?" John said to Claire in one of the brief interludes they had between kisses.  
  
"No, I don't recall that you had," Claire smiled; she never thought she had ever been so happy as she was at that moment.  
  
"Well, I meant to but with your speech and all, I kinda got side tracked, so here goes. You are so breathtakingly beautiful, Claire, absolutely stunning and I have never felt so happy as I do right at this moment."  
  
"Me neither."  
  
"This isn't all some big dream is it, your not going to like disappear at twelve or something and leave me alone and devastated again."  
  
"Never, never again, John. To think I came so close to losing everything, there is no way I would ever do anything like that again to jeopardise my happiness, our happiness. I'm afraid, my darling, that on this occasion you are well and truly stuck with me."  
  
"That sounds good to me," John said, "so you're not going to run off to Brian again if you get pregnant so that he can father our child, and you're not going to lie to that child and tell them I'm dead or something and wait another sixteen years before you tell me I have another child?"  
  
"No, on all counts, sir, do you want one of my amethyst earrings to make sure I don't?" she said tipping her head with her hand, "What do you mean anyway, get pregnant again?"  
  
"I don't think having one of your earrings would help, that's what got me into this mess in the first place," John joked and continued "Don't you want to have another child with me?" he looked hurt.  
  
"Yes, I'd love too but aren't we getting a little old for children, our eldest does happen to be nearing adult hood you know."  
  
"Right, so its not like Becky and Brian aren't going to have any, he's the same age as us, and look at Ally and Andy, their youngest is two and with the way those two carry on there will be another one there soon, if you know what I mean?"  
  
"You're right, besides its not like there will only be one of us there to bring the baby up on their own, after all, we'll have each other."  
  
"Yep, so when do you want to start practicing?" a wicked glint returning to his eyes.  
  
"As soon as is humanly possible, your place or mine?"  
  
"With a teenage daughter listening in the next room I don't really fancy your place, lets make it mine."  
  
"Okay, that's a date then, pick me up when this thing finishes."  
  
"Okay, doll." John replied and kissed her again. In mid kiss, John felt a tapping on his shoulder, pulling away from Claire he noticed Brian standing by his side. "Hey, what's up?"  
  
"Nothing, its just that you asked me to look after this, in case you ever needed it again, and well I guess you need it, now!" Brian said.  
  
"Brian, thanks, I had forgotten you had this for safe keeping. Thanks again."  
  
"My pleasure, don't you think you better give it to her!"  
  
"Yeah, but I want everyone that matter's around us first in a circle."  
  
"Okay, leave it with me" Brian said, and went off in search of everyone. In five minutes he was done. The circle consisted of himself and Becky, Ally and Andy, Alicia and Stanley, Claire's mum, and Leila. John pulled Claire into the middle and knelt down on his right knee.  
  
"I know this is a bit unconventional, Claire, because obviously we have already accepted each other but I wanted it to be special when I gave you your ring."  
  
Tears began forming in the corners of Claire's eyes. John pulled out the small velvet covered box that Brian had given him only minutes before and opened the lid, taking out the ring he found Claire's left hand with his right and placed it upon her ring finger. Claire knelt down too and getting a closer look at the ring she realised it was the diamond solitaire stud that she had given John after detention that Saturday in March 1984. "This is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. Thank you, John."  
  
"It's my pleasure, Claire, and may I say it looks more attractive on your finger than it ever did in my ear."  
  
Everyone in the circle laughed. 


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone.  
  
A/n: please r/r, hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.  
  
Chapter 20 – Into the future  
  
The three couples met up again at Allison and Andy's house for their next meeting. Sitting around the table in the dining room as they had done the year previously, they began to happily talking to each other. Allison remarked that it was so good to see so many happy people sitting around enjoying everyone else's company, rather than some of the glum faces that had appeared the same time a year earlier.  
  
She and Andy were happy that they had been given the opportunity to spend sometime together on their own without the kids, contrary to John's idea that she would have another one on the way Allison was very happy with what she had, she certainly didn't want anymore. After the success of her exhibition her workload had gone from strength to strength, and with the achievement of the landscape at Brian & Becky's wedding more and more people were commissioning her to paint landscapes for their own weddings. Andy, who never felt neglect and gave as much support as he could, couldn't have been happier for her. He said he had always believed that she was capable of exactly this. He carried on teaching sport at Shermer and trying to instil insight into his pupils.  
  
Brian and Becky's business had also done very well; commissions from many parts of the States were coming in for their skilled and professional attitude towards provincial structures. They had worked real hard to bring up the standing of their company and it was now beginning to pay off. Becky was also expecting their first child.  
  
Along with Claire, she too was pregnant and couldn't be happier, in a month she would be Mrs John Bender; she and John had moved into a new home together, with Rusty and Leila, which they had decorated throughout. Allison's picture, the one she had given John the previous year, took pride of place over the mantle-piece in their dining room. They had also opened up the roof space so that Claire could have a large office. She continued to work with her partner Jenna, and along with designing for the children's market, she had started to dabble in the weddings market as well. John too was finding success, the newspaper always wanted more from him; and he was just finishing his first book, he only hoped he could find someone to publish it.  
  
Noticing that everyone was ready to start their meal and that all glasses were charged Allison stood up, cleared her throat and began "On this day March 24th 2003 I hereby declare 'The Breakfast Club' open for its second annual meeting" she raised her glass for the toast and the others let out a resounding "Cheers". Our first order of business is the new addition to our club, Becky would you please state to the other's why you ended up in detention, we can then determine what you are."  
  
"Well, I was sent to detention because I destroyed another kid's model."  
  
"Intentionally?" Andy asked.  
  
"Yes," Becky said.  
  
"We already have a basket case," John interjected, "several in fact."  
  
"Why did you do it?" Claire asked.  
  
"Because this guy always won, he was teacher's pet, needless to say it stayed that way after they found out it was me. It didn't matter what he did, said, or anything, Mr Williams always gave him the credit."  
  
"I remember a couple of people who were like that." John said wickedly, catching the eye of both Claire and Andy, they both responded by smirking back.  
  
"So it was envy driven, then?" Brian said.  
  
"Yes" Becky replied.  
  
"I know what you are," Brian said and wrote the answer on the piece of paper he had in front of him, he handed it to Becky.  
  
"Well if we are now ready, Brian will you do the honours once more" Allison said.  
  
Brian stood and cleared his throat. "Ehm. Dear Mr. Vernon". "Mr Vernon" they all responded including Becky. Brian continued "we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what he found out is that each one of us is a brain". "And an athlete" Andrew cut in. "And a basket case" Allison said. "A princess" Claire said. "And a criminal" John said. "And a revolutionary" Becky added. "Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club" Brian finished and with that they again toasted themselves, their 'Club' and Becky's triumphant entrance into their society.  
  
The end. 


End file.
